


Ninjago: The Man In the Wolf Mask

by GarnettFox



Series: Ninjago: Shadows [1]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-10
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-01-04 06:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 21,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1077920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarnettFox/pseuds/GarnettFox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What does it mean to be 'Human? Why is it so hard? It's so much easier hiding behind a monsters mask...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, People will eventually come to believe it-Joseph Goebbels

The night is beautiful, the dark blue almost black sky studded with diamond like shimmering stars and the pale disk of the moon reflecting the light of the sun to glow and cast light upon the darkened world.

He missed that night sky. The sky who's beauty you could only truly see in the wilderness or tiny villages. Not the city. Not here.

That was one of the few things he missed from his home. Very few things he missed. though it might just because of the old saying he missed it so much.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder... A bitter laugh left him as he lay on the roof watching the few stars that could shine threw the light pollution. Nothing could make his heart grow fonder for that place. The place that took a innocent boy, and made him a monster.

A creature skulked up to him, at first glace you could fool your self into thinking it was a black wolf, or a very large black dog. looking closer you could see what made the thing so strange. It wasn't truly living, was not a real part of this world, it's paws and claws picked over the ground noiselessly because there where no paws, no weight. It's wispy fur just faded away the form more a vague copy of what it should be. This was no mortal creature, but a pure shadow given form and purpose. The shadow creature paused by his head it's sightly white eyes looking into the mans glittering silver.

Sighing he sat up. "What's going on?" The shadow creature opened it's mouth and spoke, not in a language any could understand unless they like the man could control the shadows. it's voice was a coarse whisper into the males ear, he frowned what the shadow spoke of was quite far out from the city and he did promise...but this was to enticing.

the Creature sat waiting patiently as it's master got up fixing his dark cape across the shoulder pads of his leather jacket his form almost blending into the darkness thanks to the black leather he wore. the only things that gave him away was the long light brown hair he had that he allowed to flow freely and his pale face. though his features where soon hidden a black, silver and red mask taking the place of his face the beautiful paints taking the form of a fierce snarling wolf muzzle.

The Creature rubbed against his legs whispering more telling him the exact location as shadows rose up around them, not sentient like the creature but pure shadow energy ready and willing to whisk it's master away to where ever he wished.

"To Four Weapons." the darkness cocooned them before vanishing, human and creature gone from the material world traveling threw the shadow to their destination. And start of The Rabid Wolf's destiny.

0o0o

The Wolf sighed and shook his head at the scene before him. the place was a wreck with broken weapons scattered on the ground, the large and once proud sign proclaiming the name of the store that had belonged to the Flamey family for generations was barely hanging on half covering the entrance threatening to come crashing down and crush someone with a strong gust of wind.

Speaking of crushing someone. Wolf winced seeing the remains of the water tower scattered everywhere. Part of him wondered why no one had ransacked the place (Not that you'd really be able to tell) Or cleaned it up. Then again the area was mostly privet property owned by the Flamey's so other people probably couldn't be bothered cleaning it when it was technically not their problem.

With a wave of his hand shadow creatures rose up and started cleaning away the debris sorting out the still sell-able weapons and armor, wood that could be used to repair the store, and the trash that was no good for anything but firewood and slag. Happy they where cleaning up the mess outside the Wolf entered looking around at the half destroyed interior.

"At lest they put up a fight..." He sighed feeling sorry for the family who lived here "...Lest I can do for them is put things back the way they where." he muttered to his self closing his eyes a thin film of shadow flow before it settled where age old shadows did marking out where objects once where and what was there. The Wolf nodded to his self a few creatures coming in from outside and tidying up the inside, he sighed picking up a warped sword raising a eyebrow. "...If those things that took them did this I don't want to run into them..." one of the creatures whined in confusion the Wolf looking over and frowning confused as well.

"Helloooo..." he came over frowning at the darker area on the sign. "Something was hidden here..." He looked around "Something worth trashing this place and kidnapping the owners..."focusing he pulled the darker shadow towards him his sharp eye's picking out faintly darker patterns. Humming he carefully manipulated the shadows raising a eyebrow as a map and writing became visible reading it over.

"...You guys can finish up here." He said softly grabbing a note pad from the counter along with a pen summoning a small shadow as he wrote on the note that he was going to be busy and probably not back for a night or two giving it to the shadow.

"Give this to Konton or Kaze they'll make sure it's read." the shadow nodded taking the note in it's mouth and vanishing the Wolf looking at his shadow map again, he was vaguely aware of the area's close to where these 'Golden weapons' where and though he couldn't travel right to them could at lest get near and check it out.


	2. Chapter 2

he little shadow shook it's self as it came out note held tight in it's mouth looking around wary of humans huddling under a bench. A soft coo make it jump and shriek in fright before glaring at the other equally startled looking shadow creature. This other one was one of the few who where allowed to remain in the mortal world full time, looking at the name tag the little shadow nodded happy to have found Kaze and dropped the note in front of her relaying the message and vanishing back to the shadows.

Obediently Kaze picked up the note in her jaws and trotted over to a small blonde girl with glittering emerald green eyes who was keeping a careful eye on a ginger bouncy ball of energy who was whooping in delight as she spun on the roundabout. taking the note she read it and frowned a little at the message looking at the other girl knowing she was going to be upset. Sighing she waved and the blue eyed ginger blinked jumping off the play thing (the blonde girl wincing at the thought of her landing awkwardly and hurting herself) bouncing up to her.

"Hey Leah what's that?" Leah-the blonde girl- sighed and motioned for the others hand using her finger to write symbols on her hand. "Oh...R-really?" She sniffled a little looking down "...But he promised to sing a lullaby..." Leah frowned and pulled the younger girl into a hug glad that no one was around at this late hour to see them, before taking the girls hand and leading her away. She knew the other wasn't in the mood for game's anymore, she only hoped that the other came back soon to cheer her up.

0o0o0o

The Wolf frowned looking from the map to the area in front of him "...How long has there been mining here?" He wondered out loud confused at the tracks and mining equipment all over the place "...I mean come on I know the maps probably old but still..." He frowned picking up a pickaxe "Weird...Brand new and barely looks used..." He sighed pulling up the map again picking his way threw the rocks and abandoned tools. he paused at one of the machines putting his hand on it "Still warm...So where the fuck is everyone?" He sighed shaking his head smirking at the dark interior of the cave,

"Thank you night vision." He chuckled his silvery eye's going pitch black the cave for him seeming to light up so he could see it perfectly one of his faithful shadow creatures trotting at his side. He frowned at the sight of weapon marks, a few scattered bones and...Claw marks? He shook his head seeing piled mound of earth that looked weirdly gouged out of the ground, several burn marks and patches of ice. "What the fuck happened in here?"

Man and Shadow froze at the growl that answered him.

"...Was that your stomach?" The shadow rolled it's eyes whimpering as a pair of toxic glaring green eye's opened in the rocks, the stones shifting and moving claws scraping the ground drool dripping from it's fangs. "...That's a dragon isn't it?" The shadow nodded "...It's pissed off and hungry isn't it?" again it nodded.

"...I'm out of here!" The dragon roared the cave trembling with the force shadows raising up and pulling the Rabid Wolf away just in time to save him from the beasts charge and snapping jaws. the brown and green dragon shrieked in outrage tail lashing out around it. No! first he had failed in his duty and now when a human came to laugh at it him it vanished. The dragon growled lowly lining back down a paw covering his eyes feeling ashamed hoping the others where having better luck.

0o0o0o

"Cold, Cold Cold!" The shadow creature gave Wolf a unimpressed look "...It's fucking freezing!" the shadow rolled it's eyes, having no body or a body temperature it couldn't really comment, but still his master seemed to be making a big fuss over nothing as they trudged threw the snow "The kids are probably getting worried sick..." He winced aware he'd given them a note saying he would either be later then normal or turn up in the morning, but guilt still gnawed at him.

"...Get this done quick as I can and go home...stop off at a store and get some sweets for them...maybe new DVDs to watch..." he mused thinking on how to make it up to them as they came up to a jagged building that seemed to be a temple or palace made of ice "...Ok this place is cool." he smirked a little seeing the skeletons ensnared in the ice "My kinda decor..." the pair looked around the Wolf frowning kneeling in the snow "Foot prints...Human sized..." he thought back to the shop.

"...The people who attacked and took the map, they must have been here!" The shadow snarled in anger at the thought of the criminals that destroyed a family's livelihood getting these 'Golden Weapon' things. "...Heh Let's hope that one of these sculptures is them!" Wolf laughed kicking a small chunk of ice that hit a snow bank. the snow trembled.

"...Oh fuck no..." the snow fell away from the tall elegant looking dragon it's scales a pure white with delicate blue and silver markings. it would have been beautiful, if not for the vicious snarl and murderous look in the beasts eyes. It threw it's head back and roared before snapping forward a beam of pure ice and cold aimed right for Wolf. If not for his quick reflexes at shadow traveling away in a second he'd have joined the other ornaments in the dragons lair. The dragon hissed testily crushing one of his sculptures under his claws angry that his home, his sanctuary had been breached twice in the same day! With a grumbled he slivered back into the snow willing it to cover him. He really needed a nap after this stressful day privetly hoping one of the others had killed the arrogant little humans.

0o0o0o0o

Wolf yelped eyes stinging cursing up a storm his shadow creature staring at him "I fucking hate lightning!" He winced blinking blurry, the area had been dark so he was using his night vision but the lightning flashing everywhere hurt his eyes greatly. He sighed blinking and reluctantly taking off the night vision "Your gonna have to be my eyes." the Creature grumbled looking up at the strange building Wolf sighing.

"...Ok go up and I'll shadow travel to you." the Shadow grunted and loped ahead climbing up Wolf waiting for a mental cue from the creature sighing and shadow traveling up to it when it broadcasted back where it was on top of the nun chuck like building.

The glaring yellow eyes and drooling mouth that belonged to the royal blue and yellow dragon who's body crackled with electricity that greeted him made him wish he hadn't.

"Hehehehe...Nice dragon?" It roared and snapped at him Wolf just dodging out the way "I'M OUT!" He shadow traveled away narrowly avoiding a bolt of lightning the dragon huffing and sniffing settling back down. He was still angry at the humans that intruded on his home and took the weapon he'd been guarding, but the target practice with the new human cheered him up a bit and he was fairly sure that one of the others would kill the thief's anyway.

0o0o0o0o

"Why didn't you warn me about the dragon!?" The shadow creature huffed as they walked up to the last place on the map, it wasn't it's fault it'd been taken by surprise just like he had! With a weary sigh Wolf opened the door to the last temple warily eyeing the lava.

"Ya I'm not falling for it a third time." The Shadow creature growled a little "...The lightning dragon was you fault!" It sniffled Wolf sighing and frowning the area showing signs of a fight and sensing...Something. He lightly touched a shadow and jerked away shuddering in disgust. Something was...Very wrong. some force had forced his element into action twisted and corrupted it into doing their bidding.

That left a dirty tasty in his mouth knowing his element and the innocent beings that resided in it had been hurt like that. Swallowing his disgust he drew the pained shadows out and gently petted them to soothe and try and remove the taint of the others control from the poor things. The Shadow creatures cooed softly and nuzzled him slinking back when he was done. With a sigh he got up.

"Well no 'Sword of Flames' and no dragon. Let's go." He froze a hot jet of air ruffling his hair from behind "...Fuck I need to keep my mouth shut." He winced trembling a little turning to see the beast...


	3. Chapter 3

The fire dragon...Didn't look a lot like a fire dragon. What's more it looked more confused at Wolf being in the temple then angry. This strange dragon was jet black with fine grey marking and silvery claws, it blinked it's great white eyes the two beings staring at each other before it lost interest in him walking off.

'Eh just a human, smells a little like him...heh who am I kidding? apart from the Creation Element lines the others all died out long ago.' Wolf's eye's widened hearing the dragons voice in his head. That normally only happened with his shadows! He watched it as the dragon sniffed and looking around searching for something. 'Where is he?' Wolf gulped.

"...Where's who?" The dark dragon froze and turned to him it's eyes narrowed.

'...Are you talking to me?' Wolf nodded approaching it.

"Yes...I'm hearing you like I do my Shadow Creat-" He yelped knocked off his feet dazed for a moment before he registered what was happening. The dragon, the at the lest three tone highly dignified mythological creature.

Was Nuzzling him.

NUZZLING HIM.

And purring, fucking purring as it rubbed it's head into his chest sounding like the worlds biggest Tabby on Catnip. Wolf blinked mind reeling trying to keep up with the rapid fire talking of the over excited dragon before giving up and allowing the dragon to use him as a cuddly toy. Better then being eaten at lest.

"...Weren't you looking for something?" Wold finally asked after ten minutes of dragon snuggling the beast yelping looking up.

'My mate! Oh he'll be so happy! We both thought the last of your line died out a long time ago!' Wolf frowned sitting up as the dragon looked around roaring trying to find it's 'Mate'.

"...What do you mean 'My line'?" The dragon sighed looking worried for it's mate sitting.

'Elemental line, Shadow, Fire, Ice. All elemental powers that typically follow a family line, Several of them such as Light and Wood died out a long time ago the four main Creation elements Fire, Lightning, Earth and Ice survived threw the century's. Though Shard did say he thought the Ice line finally died a few years ago...' Wolf Sighed holding his head.

"So your saying...I'm relating to a guy a long time ago who could use shadows like me?" The dragon nodded.

'Yes, I was his loyal friend long ago. He named me Joey.'

"...Joey?...He called you, a Shadow Dragon I'm assuming. Joey." Joey nodded.

"Yes, I'm rather fond of the name myself. What is yours?' Wolf opened his mouth before pausing a moment and smiling, as long as the creature was being honest.

"...Most call me the Rabid Wolf, But...Family call me Dusk Hamachi." Joey cocked his head.

'Am I family?'

"You are now." Dusk smiled before frowning a little "Not sure how we're gonna fit you though..." Joey chuckled and his form started to change shrinking down his legs and horns vanishing till a small shadow creature was before him in the basic form and shape of a snake. Dusk blinked as Joey slivered up and wrapped around his neck lightly.

'I am a Shadow dragon after all, I have complete control over my form, much like you with your shadows.' Dusk chuckled a little petting the little shadow.

"Let's go home."

0o0o0o0o

Home as it was, was a two floor warehouse that had been re-purposed over time into almost a apartment building by Dusk, his shadows and the children who lived with him. the ground floor consisted of the kitchen, a large laundry room, bathroom and toilets, a media room for the kids to watch movies and a large indoor play area. The second floor was just bedrooms all made to be big enough to hold a bed, set of draws, a desk and a little stretching room the only exception being Dusk's room being a little bigger giving him more room and a larger bed as sometimes when the younger children had nightmares they'd get in with him for comfort.

Dusk sighed taking off his mask and shedding the thick leather coat his pale almost sickly thin form revealed Joey slunk off looking for a place to make a bed while he check on his surrogate brothers and sisters blinking when he came to Leah's room when he saw a second lump before chuckling softly at the bright ginger locks knowing just who it was.

"Sweet dreams Leah, Claire. I promise I'll make it up to you." he whispered chuckling a little seeing them snuggle closer together leaving them in peace yawning forgoing the rest of his check heading to his own bed.

"So what kept you?" Dusk yelped and blinked startled at the boy sniggering at him sat on his bed. He rolled his eyes.

"Funny Lloyd, I...It's a long story it can wait till morning." Lloyd raised a eyebrow and smirked pointing at the clock that read 5:47 AM "...You know what I mean." Dusk grumbled grabbing his night things Lloyd turning around to face the wall Dusk sighing and getting changed.

"Welllll it's morning, Tell me!" Dusk snorted.

"Wait till I've slept and I'll tell you with the others." Lloyd whined lightly.

"Awww come on, we both know I'm your favorite." Dusk sighed glaring a little at him.

"...Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon get off my bed before I decide you can't go to Jermonikai village with Leah and Claire later in the week." the pale albeno eleven year old yelped and jumped off Dusk's bed really wanting to go the village with the others Dusk groaning flopping on his bed to tired to bother pulling the sheets over him.

"...Can I stay with you?" Dusk looked up properly looking at the boy. His snow white hair was a mess, his eyes red with dark rings around them.

"You had the nightmare about your dad again didn't you?" Lloyd flinched telling Dusk all he needed and the elder male offered a arm Lloyd getting in bed and cuddling him.

"...it won't happen will it?" Dusk hummed softly cuddling the boy half asleep.

"No...Your nothing like your father Lloyd, go to sleep now, it'll be better in the morning."

"...Thanks big brother." Lloyd whispered closing his eyes and going to sleep along with his guardian.

0o0o0o

"So it's a dragon?" Claire asked her bright blue eye's wide clinging onto Lloyd who rolled his ruby red ones.

"No way, Dusk's been trying for ages to make a shadow look like a dragon, it's impossible!" Joey huffed and jumped down from Dusk's shoulder the children crowding backing away as the shadow grew and growled claws clinking against the floor raising up till his great horned head scraped the ceiling. the Shadow Dragon glared at Lloyd.

'Am I still impossible?' Dusk sighed shaking his head.

"I'm the only one who understands you Joey." Dusk pointed out both him and the dragon missing Lloyd's pale face before the eleven year old shook it off as his imagination.

"Why's it here?" Dusk sighed petting it.

"Well...He's a shadow creature like the ones I gave you as pets." He motioned at the gathers shadow creatures either at their owners side or on their shoulder. "And well...I felt like I had to, it's not like he had anywhere else to go." Joey whined a little.

'Especally with my mate missing...'

"So he joins us here, he doesn't need to sleep and can be our new guard dog. Along with keeping a eye on the little kids and giving the older ones more time out." The children whooped and cheered with delight Dusk chuckling.

"Ok ok those who have chores get to it! I'm going to go have a nap really need to catch up on my sleep. And I promise, I'll read a story and sing a lullaby to make up for not singing one yesterday." Claire and several other younger children squealed the little ginger glomping Dusk's legs the male hugging her. "And remember Lloyd's going to Jermonikai soon, you need or what anything from there give him a list and money." A few people approached the longest staying of them talking to him as Dusk smiled happy they where ok and knew what was going on. Giving Claire a last kiss on the forehead he went back up to his room Joey lieing down allowing some of the kids to use him as a climbing frame.

The dragon smiled closing his eyes, he could get used to this. he mused enjoying the company of the kids after so many years of being alone apart from his mate. He frowned a little thinking of them sighing.

'I promise Flame, I'll find out what happened to you...'

0o0o0o

Nya frowned staring at the shop "...I distinctly remember this place being completely trashed when I was kidnapped..." everything had been cleared away the the shop repaired. It couldn't have been Kai he had been training with Sensai Wu and would have taken him days if not weeks to do, she couldn't think of anyone else who would help them...

Cautiously she stepped in seeing the inside as perfectly tidied as the out with the stock piled where it should be.

"What is going on...?" She yelped as something poked her leg getting into a fighting stance. And blinking confused at the tiny little shadow at her feet with a note. Warily she took the note backing away in case the thing bit her but it just faded away. Confused she read the note.

To the Flamey's or who ever reads this, you don't know me and I don't know you. All I know is that you where attacked and kidnapped by dangerous people.I felt worried and investigated the wreck that was your shop and put my Shadow creatures to putting it right when I found the map. As such I went to see if these 'Golden Weapons' where real and try to find those who attacked you. I left my shadows here with orders one stays with a note to tell you what has happened.

Don't think you owe me or anything ridiculous like that I did this because it felt like the right thing to do, I don't want to be payed or rewarded. I'm just glad I did the right thing.

Yours sincerely The Rabid Wolf Under the signature was a symbol of a crescent moon and snarling wolfs head. Nya looked back up at where the shadow was and sighed.

"...Couldn't have left a way for me to give them my thanks?"


	4. Chapter 4

Lloyd chuckled at Claire as she squealed happily bouncing from street vender to street vender, the little girl having far to much energy then was probably healthy for her. Leah watched silently her emerald eye's glinting warily as she watched wanting to ensure nothing happened to her.

"I can keep a eye on her Leah, there's a good book store a street or two over." Leah blinked and stared at Lloyd a moment before smiling fainting. "Your welcome Leah, go on." The silent girl nodded and walked off leaving the two alone Claire giggling coming over and latching onto Lloyd's arm.

"Lloyd! This stall has the prettiest beads! Can I please please pleaaaaaaase buy some so I can make more necklaces and bead dolls?" Lloyd chuckled ruffling her hair eye's drawn to the crude bead necklace around her neck in the vague shape of a crescent moon and Wolf head.

"Ok Claire, I'm just going to the stalls over there to get some treats and things for the others Ok?" Claire nodded and skipped off Lloyd smiling after her putting the hood of his hoodie up the bright sun light starting to irritate his sensitive eyes and skin. He ignored the wary looks shop keepers and customer's gave him for his albinism and the dark clothes. He was used to it by now and could deal with it.

"Well if it isn't Garmadon!" He froze recognizing the voice and prayed that his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Gene, Brad." He said stiffly noticing how people started giving him fearful looks and backing away Lloyd wincing. They knew nothing about him apart from who his father was and they where judging him, thinking him nothing more then a mini copy of his dad. Gene smirked at him and sharing a look with Brad walked off with half of the gang of boys with them each with the Darkly's uniform. "Field trip?"

"Just like the one you ran away on Lloyd, saved the school the trouble of expelling you." Lloyd narrowed his eyes at the whispers already starting up about how evil he must be for getting kicked out of a school for 'Bad boys', ignoring the only way you could really do that is by being Good.

"What do you want Brad?" The boy smirked as one of the others whispered in his ear.

"This. GARMADON'S SON IS STEALING AND THREATENING PEOPLE!" A bad of stolen candy was shoved at a confused Lloyd the bad boys running off as four strange people jumped down.

The first thought that came to Lloyd's mind was 'Why are these people wearing pajamas?' the second when he realized they where ninja 'Why is only one of them wearing black? White, red and blue aren't gonna camouflage you unless your against the American flag.' the third 'Oh shit they know I'm Garmadon's son and I'm holding stolen stuff...I'm going to get my ass kicked.'

"I ah uhrm,...This isn't what it looks like..." The blue one snorted the black picking up the young boy Lloyd yelping struggling, paling when they started talking about punishing him "I didn't do anything wrong!" He tried to explain despite knowing it was fruitless. Who'd ever believe in the son of Garmadon?

0o0o0o

Claire whimpered, crying as she ran through the streets and alleys of the village panicking as the group of Darkly's boys who split off from the one hassling Lloyd. She flinched small stones getting thrown at her making her body sting a she ran the boys yelling cruel words after her aiming the rocks at her legs tto make her fall.

She screamed when she realized was cornered in a dead end, turning and facing the boys with fear in her eyes. "L-LEAH! LEAH! LLOYD!" She cried out whimpering wishing she hadn't left her little pet shadow behind not knowing that Leah couldn't hear her and that even if Lloyd could he couldn't help her.

"Alright brat!" the ringleader with red hair and glasses snapped in a nasal tone. "What do you have in your pockets?" Claire whimpered and started to pull out a tattered picture of her family and her Dad's watch that he had given her before he died. Suddenly, four figures in brightly colored suits jumped down.

"Back off brat," the black ninja warned. "She's an innocent little girl, don't bother her."

"Ninja!" the redhead gasped and the entire group made a hasty retreat.

"Are you okay?" the black turned to check on Claire when she practically tackled his legs in a hug.

"Thank you!" she sobbed. "That was so scary!" The ninja looked shocked for a moment before he glared at his laughing teammates and then knelt to be on the girl's level.

"You're welcome," he smiled and picked her up. "Where do you live sweetie? We'll take you home so nobody else tries to hurt you."

Claire shifted uncomfortably and looked down. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone. Big brother would be mad, especially if I told you." The Ninja frowned hearing that wondering who would force their little sister to keep her own home a secret.

"Awww Come on Kid you can trust us!" The blue one grinned practically snatching her from the black.

"Jay!"

"Relax I can handle kids." Jay chuckled spinning the girl around Claire whimpering looking like she was going to burst into tears.

"Jay, you are scaring her," the white ninja scolded lightly as he took Claire from the blue ninja and away from the others. "Okay. If your not allowed to tell us. Then where can we leave you so that you can get home safely?"

Claire buried her face in the white's neck, clinging to him. "My other big brother and Sister are just a few streets away still shopping..."

The white smiled and stroked her hair. "Then I will take you there." he said holding her carefully and carrying her back to the main street the black one shooting the blue a glare.

"What was that?!"

"I thought she'd like it!" Blue grumbled red sniggering.

"More like it'd traumatize her." Blue hurmed and pulled his hood down to cover his eyes.

"What ever..."

0o0o0o0o

Leah frowned confused when she couldn't see any signs of Lloyd or Claire on the street her backpack weighed down with some new Latin and Criminology books. wiggling out of her pocket Kaze hummed looking up at her owner offering to look for them Leah shaking her head and gently pushing her back in the pocket. they wouldn't have gotten far and left her behind, and she could easily get back home if that was the case.

"Leah!" She blinked looking around for Lloyd. "Look up!" She did so eye's widening seeing him hanging on a sign. "Can you get me down?" Leah sighed looking around nodding when she saw a ladder moving it as best she could next to him motioning at it. "...Leah I'm stuck! I can't get off the sign I can't climb down!"she sighed rubbing her forehead trying to think quietly eeping when she was glomped.

"Leah!" She sighed petting Claire's hair as the younger snuggled her blinking realizing the other was sniffling and crying a little. "Leah i-it was so scary! These mean boys chased me a-and where gonna take my photo and watc-"

"WHAT?! Where are they?! I'll make them pay and say sorry!" Claire epped looking up at Lloyd.

"...How'd you get up there?" Lloyd sighed.

"Later, help?" Leah hummed and took Claire's hand signing at her to hold the ladder steady. Claire nodded as Leah climbed up holding the ladder for her. Leah carefully climbed onto the roof and started trying to help Lloyd free not noticing the wood groaning till a loud snap made them freeze.

"Oh fu-" The pair yelled as the wood gave out Claire's eyes widening the little girl diving forward to try and catch them yelping when they landed on top of her. the three lay in a pile moaning for a few minutes before Lloyd sat up wincing.

"Everyone ok?" Claire gave a thumbs up and Leah nodded the pair getting untangled. Lloyd sighed "Let's just get our stuff and go home." He winced back aching sure he was going to have a bruise later, Leah limping a bit and Claire rubbing her bottom having landed on it.

"Lloyd...I don't think I'm gonna come here again." She winced Lloyd sighing.

"Me neither Claire, me neither."

0o0o0o0

"And they believed the Darkly's boy's over you?" Lloyd nodded yelping loudly he and Dusk wincing as the elder checked his chest.

"Yes, and that hurt!" Dusk sighed getting up and getting some bandages.

"Sorry you've badly bruised your ribs might have even cracked one, I'll take you the hospital to double check in the morning." Lloyd nodded holding still as his chest was wrapped in bandages.

"...Why do people hate me so much?...I'm not him, I don't want to be him!" Dusk sighed and gently hugged the young boy who sniffled and clinged to him hiding his face in the others chest.

"Because most people are idiots happy to let others tell them what the world is like and who they should and shouldn't hate. You being Garmadon's son is something out of your control, the fact you went to Darkly's was something outside your control. No one has any right to judge you on that." The young Garmadon nodded sniffling a little.

"...Like they didn't have any right to judge you for your powers?" Dusk froze a little Lloyd wincing realizing he'd hit the elders soft spot before he was being hugged tighter.

"...Just like that. Come on I have to sing that lullaby and read to the younger kids, you coming." Lloyd chuckled grabbing his shirt.

"Wouldn't miss it big brother."


	5. Chapter 5

"We got Lloyd good! Shows him for trying to ruin Darkly's name." Gene crowed Brad nodding along as they walked back to Darkly's

"I'm kinda surprised he lasted so long, it's been what three years?" Gene nodded.

"Three years since we ran him out of Darkly's, really he should have been dead." Brad hummed.

"You think he was smart enough to figure out how to get by, by his self?" The ginger snorted.

"Naw either some old dingbat took pity on him or he's some old guys toy." Brad frowned a little.

"It's to bad I mean Garmadon's son, You'd think he'd be a future evil genius." He flinched a little at the others glare.

"I'm a hundred times more evil then him!" Gene spat shooting their teachers a look before grabbing Brads arm and dragging him away.

"W-what Gene?! What are you doing?" Brad hissed as they ducked behind some bushes. Gene frowned pulling him along.

"I'm going to prove I'm better then Garmadon." He grinned darkly. "And I know just how to. Come on." Brad groaned but followed him.

"And just how are you going to prove your more evil then the son of the dark lord?!" Gene slipped out a old looking book from his bag.

"With this." Brad's eyes widened a little seeing the visage of a serpent on the book.

"The Serpentine?!" Gene nodded.

"This book holds the last known map to the location of their tombs, If we unleash them and bring them under our control then we will be the new rulers of Ninjago!" Brad grinned along with his friend.

"Where do we start?"

0o0o0o0o

Flame sighed dragging his tail in the dirt looking up at the sky wishing his master would let him fly free. Rocky groaned face-clawing.

'If your THAT worried about your mate go find them!' Shard sighed shaking his head.

'He can't, we swore when we took the mantle of elemental Dragon Masters to obey the Ninja when they came for us and the weapons...even if they did surprise us and make us want to eat them...'

'I still want to eat mine at times.' Whisp snarked 'Especially when he starts mooning over that girl...Just mate with her already!' Flame sighed.

'Thanks guys...It's mating season soon anyway and we'll have to go back to the Spirit Springs to rejuvenate I'll see Joey them.' The four dragons looked up as their masters returned laughing about 'teaching Garmadon a lesson'.

'They fought Garmadon?'

'No no one of them said Lloyd.' Flame sighed yelping as Kai tried to climb on knocking the bag on him off 'Watch it!' Shard sighed before his eyes widened seeing the scroll Zane was holding and translating for the others.

'...Are they meant to know the prophesy of the green Ninja yet...?' The four dragons looked to each other.

'...I'm going to go out on a wing and say no.' Rocky sighed as they started squabbling over who it'll be.

'Think Wu will tell them that as the Elemental Ninja none of them can be the Green Ninja?' Shard snorted.

'You kidding? he'll probably use this as a excuse to get them training more.' Flame sighed as the Ninja got on the dragon's backs.

'Humans can be just a littttttle thick can't they?'

0o0o0o0o

Nya blinked looking up from the list she was making of fresh food they needed, it was surprising how fast they ran threw their food with six mouths to feed (ten if you count the dragons). At lest the market was on today so she'd be able to get things cheap, She frowned looking up hearing fighting and clashing weapons.

"What the?" she looked out seeing her brother and the others apparently having a gauntlet of sorts fighting each other with the golden weapons Nya sighing. "Of corse nothing's going to go wrong when your using highly unstable elemental weapons against each other. Idiots." she shook her head as Kai lost control of the Sword of flames fire's braking out around him the other panicking Nya resisting the urge to face palm.

"...Ya know ZANE controls ICE!" She pointed out sighing as Sensai saved them with Zane's shurikin. "Idiots, I'm going to Jermonikai village be back later!" She shook her head leaving wondering why men could be so idiotic at times.

0o0o0o0o

Brad shivered starting to think he was insane for following Gene out here so far. He grit his teeth trying to will the cold away a bitter wind blowing at them trying to invade the small pockets of warm air in their clothes and chill them to the bone.

"How much farther?!" Gene tried to glare back at Brad but found it had to do that, keep his footing in the snow and hold the book.

"Not fa-" He cried out tripping over something Brad hurrying to his side and helping him up Brad's eye's widening at the hypnotic patters on the seal they where on.

"We found it!" Brad whooped as Gene checked the book and pulled a hidden leaver in the snow the seal cracking open stale air escaping the tomb and distant hissing from the occupants reaching them.

"Now starts our reign over Ninjago!"


	6. Chapter 6

Brad whistled impressed at the huge cavern they carefully climbed down into. "Gotta admit. lest the snakes had plenty of room." Gene scoffed trying not to slip.

"Large cold room, Snakes are cold blooded hopefully their not dead..." Brad frowned.

"Would it matter? I mean there's four other tribes." Gene sighed shaking his head.

"Well on one hand it's good cos to take over they need all five tribes. On the other hand according to the book this is the home of the Hypnobrai who is perhaps the most useful tribe as they can hypnotize people." Brad blinked and hummed.

"Good point..." He yelped the ice cracking under him and slipped down the tunnel banging his head dazing him as he fell wincing as he hit the bottom groaning.

"You see them?!" Brad grumbled.

"NO!...I'm fine thanks for asking..." he huffed getting to his feet brushing off snow head aching badly. Distracted so it took a few moment for him to notice the hissing behind him. Gulping he turned freezing at the sight of the creature behind him, the Serpentine gave the young boy a bored look it's long tail lazily twitching behind it.

"You musssst be mad to wonder ssssso far from home little one." Brad whimpered backing away.

"G-G-GENE! S-SERPENTINE!" The serpent chuckled it's ruby red eye's glowing the rattle on it's tail shaking filling the cavern with noise that rung in Brad's ears making him cringe.

"Look into my eyessssss child, give in, I control you now." it hissed in a almost amused tone as Gene finally slid down into the chamber Brad yelping as he stumbled falling back against a block of ice cowering and hiding his face. The serpentine didn't notice this untill to late making the mistake of looking into the reflective ice with his hypnotism turned on, it groaned shaking it's head dazed Gene seeing this smirked putting two and two together.

"No I control you!" The snake snapped to attention staring at him a moment making Gene wonder if he just made a mistake before the serpent bowed.

"Asssss you wisssssh masssster, we are at your command." Brad gulped daring to look up.

"W-we?" Dozens of hisses echoed around the chamber as more Hypnobrai emerged from their hiding places some just looking like normal snakes, others a strange hybreed of man and serpent and the finally ones that looked almost like the one that attacked them only having legs instead of a tail. Gene grinned darkly.

"My own army of snakes." Brad gulped not even bothering to correct him part of him wishing he just went back with the others instead of following Gene here.

0o0o0o0o0o

Nya hummed to her self as she shopped glad of a small brake from the boys, she did love them really but sometimes she just had to get away from all the testosterone in the monastery. She blinked as people screamed in fear running from something Nya sighing.

"If this is Lloyd again..." her eye's widened seeing royal blue serpents swarms the villagers tail's rattling as their eye's glowed the screams from the trapped people stopping as they fell under the snakes spell. "Oh hell..." quickly before they saw her she snuck away hiding in the shadows breathing slowly so they wouldn't hear her as the snakes rounded up the towns folk. She gulped climbing up to a roof when she saw them checking allys wondering just how the Serpentine had gotten out after so long...She frowned hearing slightly squeaky voices and cautiously peered over the roof her eye's widening.

The Serpentine where being ordered around...by a pair of nine year olds? she shook her head. "A pair of kids leading a bunch of ancient monsters...If I can deal with dragons, elemental powers and a dark lord I can handle this...Hopefully..."

0o0o0o

Dusk snored softly as he slept dead to the world, though not for much longer as a dog sized dragon pounced on him lieing over the formerly sleeping shadow manipulater "Joey Off."

'Huuuuum No!' Joey chirped tail wagging settling his bulk over his new master the human grunting.

"Joey your heavy off!"

'Are you calling me fat?'

"Joey unless you have a reason for trying to crush me OFF!" The dragon snorted jumping off.

'Fiiiiine I just thought you wanted to know about the potentally world ending threat that's been unleashed on the world.'

"...Did you make a mess in the play room again?" Joey growled.

'It was one of the stray dogs!...and No! the Serpentine!' Dusk blinked sitting up.

"What about the Serpentine? Someone doing a play about them or something." The dragon snarled jumping up on the bed grabbing Dusk by the shirt and pulling him out the bed dragging him out.

'I'm serious! Some idiot has unleashed the Serpentine! You have to seal them away before they unlock the other tribes and unite so they can summon the Devourer!' Dusk blinked a little stunned before pulling out of the dragons grip.

"I get the picture, let me suit up. Where are they?" he asked grabbing the leather out fit he wore Joey sighing looking up to the heavens thankful that the human was finally listening to him.

'Jermonikai Villa-'

"Well the Ninja are th-"

'No their not, I checked and if they did go their's the chance they can be hypnotized and be force to use their powers to I don't know END THE WORLD MAYBE?! You don't need your eyees, you can use the shadows so ergo you can't get Hypnotized.'

"...Well that's flawed logic." Joey sighed.

'Look your needed there, I just know you have to go there. Go beat the Hypnobrai hopefully seal them away again. End this threat before it can properly begin.' Dusk blinked.

"...Your putting a lot of faith and stock in me." He noted picking up his mask and shadow traveling away the anicent creature sighing.

'I have to put all my faith in you. In all of the remaining elemental lines, the star's tell of what is coming and it is nothing good. the original warriors only won by the skin of their teeth and even then payed the ultimate price...' Joey sighing walking down the stairs and watching the children play in the large room set aside for them 'I only hope the toll is not so high this time..."


	7. Chapter 7

Dusk sighed shivering a little as his shadows dropped him off on a snow covered roof of the mountainous village. He pulled his leather jacket closer smiling quite fond of this garment. this particular one of his jacket's had gotten him threw a lot the thick material able to stop a attempted knifing of his person several times though it often had to be patched up especially after he'd taken a bullet in the stomach. Thankfully the material had slowed it enough to mean the wound wasn't fatal. He sighed looking over the side of the roof blinking seeing the Serpentine rounding up villagers who stumbled around like in a dream.

"Ok the lazy sack of scales wasn't lying..." He frowned seeing a young woman in a fitting red and gold dress trying to stay out of sight. He hummed shadows raising up around him, he didn't often get to meet people who weren't trying to kill him or several years younger than him.

0o0o

Nya froze up as a hand grabbed her shoulder spinning to attack them eye's widening at the imposing form in thick black leather and the savage painted mask "Relax I'm not going to hurt you." Her eye's widened seeing the symbol on his shoulder of a wolf and moon, the same that had been on the note.

"You're the Rabid Wolf!" She hissed looking around for the snaked Dusk blinking surprised.

"Uhrm….Ya how'd you-?"

"You fixed up mine and my brothers shop how would I NOT know you!" Dusk winced a little mentioning her to quiet down.

"Quiet you wanna get caught?...And your one of the Flameys?" Nya nodded Dusk humming.

"Huh, who'd have thunk we'd meet." He frowned a little pulling her back into the shadows as a Serpentine walked by looking into the ally but the shadows faithfully kept their master hidden from view the serpent leaving.

"How did you do that?" Nya whispered eye's wide, the snake had looked right at them but seemed not to have noticed.

"The same way I made the creature that gave you that note." Dusk shrugged letting go of her frowning seeing the people stumbling in their hypnotic daze to fill a wheelbarrow full of…..Candy? Dusk blinked rubbed at his eyes threw the mask and checked again. "….Are they really….?"

"Yep, not for them though. These two little brats somehow have control over them and apparently they want candy." Dusk stared at her a moment looked back at the snakes and shook his head muttering under his breath in Japanese.

"And he said it was urgent they where gonna destroy the world and all that crap…."

"Who said that?" Dusk blinked as if remembering she was there.

"Tell you later, you got any idea how we…De-hypnotize or what ever the villagers." Nya frowned blinking at the golden staff the one serpent with a tail held eye's widening seeing the 'Gem' it held was more of a large container able to see the liquid inside sloshing as the general used it to command the others.

"I bet the liquid in the staff's the anti venom." Nya muttered frowning. "But how do we get to it?" Dusk hummed.

"Well I could-" The pair looked up as four Ninja started trying to attack, trying as in the Red one seemed to get tired after spinning for all of five seconds, the blue one face planted hard and the other two didn't fair any better the whites aim well off and black having to retreat from the group of Snakes he challenged. Nya face palmed at them "…Get upstage….Aren't those the ninja?"

"Yep."

"….As in the now nation wide famous ninja?"

"Yep."

"….As in the best of the best in Ninjago?"

"Yep?"

"….Aren't you related to one of them."

"I wish I wasn't." Nya sighed feeling just a little ashamed of the company she kept.

"….Anyway as I was say-" He was interrupted again as the Ninja dropped into their ally panting hard.

"Ok we're reeeeeally out of shape." The Blue one groaned Red's eye's widening.

"Nya! What are you doing here?!" Nya glared huffing.

"I told you before I was going the market." She sniped Dusk sighing.

"The universe doesn't want me to speak doe-"

"Who are you?" Black snapped glaring at Dusk, he didn't particularly care aware he did look fairly evil in his thick leathers and mask.

"Names Rabid Wolf, you can just call me Wol-"

"Your hanging with a bad guy?!" Blue yelped Dusk getting offended at that comment.

"Ok first, you can call me Wolf because I want to finally finish a sentence. And two I didn't even come up with the name, the punks, police and media started calling me 'The rabid wolf that hunts the scum of the city' and the 'rabid wolf' bit stuck."

"How many arrests did it take for the nickname to start?" Black snarked.

"It took me helping with 15 arrests, stopping 7 attempted rapes, helping 3 runaway children home and busting 9 drug dealers." Dusk said dryly sighing. "What ever we don't have time to argue for all we know the longer the people are hypnotized it might get harder to brake the control or for it to become permonate."

"We don't need your help." The Ninja spat glaring at him "This is way out of the ablitys of a two-bit hack like you."

"Cole don't-" Dusk raised a hand to quite her narrowing his eye's at him.

"And just what are you saying 'Cole'?" Cole snorted.

"Your just a wannabe who's trying to be like us, step off before you get hurt." Dusk brisled at the insult glaring.

"…Fine, I'll leave, but for the record you'd been around lest then a year, I've been helping people for four just ask the cops."

"Wolf wait!" Nya yelped as shadows rose up and Dusk vanished, the girl glared at them.

"Real nice, drive off the guy who wanted to help!" Jay shook eye's wide.

"Did you SEE that!?" He gawped "The shadows just swallowed him up!"

"The only one I've know with powers like that is Garmadon…." Cole frowned looking out the ally at the Serpenine still unaware of them. The obvious criminal could wait for a bit, they had to help the village.


	8. Chapter 8

Leah blinked hearing muttered curse's recognizing Dusk's voice the young girl slipping a bookmark into her place and getting out of bed looking into his room blinking seeing him muttering angrily to his self and kicking the wall yelping and growling tossing his mask off onto the bed. She knocked on the door Dusk blinking looking surprised.

"Didn't hear you come in…." he winced a little rubbing the back of his neck "sorry you saw that." Leah shrugged and sat on the bed looking up at him. "….It was those ninja! They'd already got me angry at them for how they treated Lloyd but they really rubbed me the wrong way." The young girl raised a eyebrow. "…Well no the Red one was more worried about his sister and the White just stared at me for a minute and stayed quite the whole time, Nya-the sister was friendly enough. It was the other two! The Black hated me from the get go and Blue judged me by my costume and my powers!" Leah folded her arms "…Ok yes I made the mask and have the leather to deliberately scare people but it's to frighten criminals! And I wasn't even using my shadow creatures just hiding us and I shadow travelled away!" Leah blinked as her brotherly figure sat down heavily on the bed glaring still at a mirror.

"They judged me….they treated me like a monster…" Leah winced and sat next to him patting his back, his anger made a bit more sense now that she had that context. After a moment Dusk turned and hugged her tight the child letting him aware the elder needed the reassurance more than she did at the moment.

After a few moments he let go "Sorry Leah, I know you dislike contact like th-" he blinked surprised as she hugged him smiling softly and cuddled her glad he had her and the other kids.

0o0o0o

"I can't believe you!" Cole groaned rubbing his forehead a nagging headache making his brain feel like it was going to explode.

"Nya please stop."

"No I won't stop!" She hissed "Wolf was just trying to help! He's friendly and a nice person-"

"How do you know that?!" He snapped.

"He's the one who fixed our shop, for nothing not even asking for a thanks." Kai replied giving him a unimpressed look.

"You where hardly trying to defend him." Nya glared at her brother.

"I was worried the Serpentine would jump us!"

"They couldn't see us!" the other ninja stared at her funny before realizing that while in the ally the Serpentine seemed to ignore them.

"….I senced he had no ill will towards us." The Ninja turned to Zane who'd been completely silent until then "This Wolf didn't consider us a threat or enemy, if anything he probably thought of us as friends." Cole snorted.

"We are NOT friends with crooks!" he insisted wincing holding his head the yelling making him want to scream from the agony in his head.

"Brother? Are you alright?" Zane asked worried putting a hand on Cole's shoulder the other shrugging him off.

"I'm fine, just need some asprin." He muttered pushing past them to the bathroom to get said pills and probably curl up in a dark corner till the world stopped making his brain feel like it was going into melt down."

0o0o0o

Skales scoffed at the two bickering children as they went back and forth on blaming their defeat on each other, Slitheraa and some brat named 'Lloyd' who according to them 'Set them up as revenge' revenge for what he didn't know nor care about. He just wanted them gone.

"Why are you sssssstill bowing to Sssssslitheraa'sssss command'sssss? You know he issssss controlled by the bratsssss, you are sssssecond in command, you ssssshould be doing ssssssomething!" Mezmo hissed Skales glaring.

"Now issss not the time, the other'ssss are ssssstill partly loyal to him and by defalt the children. I jussssst need to wait till moral and loyalty are at their lowesssssst then sssssstrike."

"Oh? And what of the Ninja?" Skales eyes glowed, miles away Cole froze after splashing his face with water to try and help him get his head together eye's glowing as well. As one the pair smirked.

"Now then, would I be a ssssssnake with out a ace in the hole? I have a sssssurefire way to dessssstory them, I just need to wait for the peicesssss to fall into place and then, The bratssss will be no more, the Ninja dead or enssssslaved and Sssssliteraa'ssss staff will be mine. Weather it comesssss ssssstained in hissss blood will depend."

O0o0o0o

In the dark of the night a young boy slipped out of his bed tiptoeing past the rooms of the other Moon Children, the glanced into Dusk's room smiling a little seeing Claire passed out on the other's chest a forgotten book of fairytales clasped in the elders hand. Part of Lloyd wanted to creep in and cuddle up to the male that had raised him for so long. Reluctantly he slipped away picking his way down the stair's so as not to let them creak and alert anyone he was awake. He looked into the game room seeing the great black and grey bulk of Joey the dragon's tail twiting lightly.

"….Knock it off we both know your not sleeping." Joey cracked open a blindingly white eye and sat up looking down at the child.

"And just what are you doing up so late?"

"….I want answers."

"Oh by all means use me as a sound bored if you need to talk at som-"

"Cut it out you know I can understand you." Joey sighed.

"It was worth a shot, what do you want kid?" Lloyd frowned and sat down infront of the beast.

"….How come I can understand you? I can't any of the other shadows." Joey hummed looking down at his claws.

"….I can think of two reasons, one is that like Dusk you are a shadow elemental." Lloyd blinked mulling it over, that didn't sound bad, in fact it sounded awesome! He'd be just like his big brother, his hero. He'd be able to show people that just because he was the son of Garmadon he wasn't evil….

"Wait…..You said two…." Joey frowned looking away. "What's the second?" Joey frowned and laydown closing his eyes.

"I shouldn't have said anything, put it out your mind what I speak of is a great and terrible thing that innocent children like your self should know nothing about." Lloyd glared.

"I'm not just a little kid!"

"Yes you are, you are little more then a hatchling who doesn't know what he is trying to get involved in. Drop it."

"No!"

"Then until you do I will not speak, of this or any other subject. Forget it child." He closed his eyes ignoring him till Lloyd angry and frustrated returned to his bed. Joey sighed covering his eyes.

"Spirits forgive me, I should have held my tongue, he is to young to know of the tragedy of the War or to feel the weight of the world upon his back…" the old dragon sighed angry at his self for his slip up. "At lest he gave up trying to get the answer, the later we can save telling him what the gods have planned for his future the better, let him live a little while longer…."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More talk of the past from Joey X3 some more cutes and something I want to know. I have this story planed out beginning from Raise of the Snakes to Raise of the Spinjizu master and as you know a third season is coming very soon (I sqeed so hard seeing this trailer watch?v=HPPeOnTemCY ) Ninjago: Rebooted now I don't know when The Man in the Wolf Mask will finish but once it does, I have plans for a sequel based around Rebooted called Ninjago: Viral It will have Dusk, the Moon Children, the Ninja, everything you like from this story. If I do this sequel, will you people read it?
> 
> Leave reviews saying what you like about the story, share if you like the idea of Viral, don't be afraid to talk :3 I don't bite!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off I can I direct you to this picture done by a very good friend of mine? art/Rabid- Wolf-Charries- 414478178 :3 She did this picture of four of the charicters and she did Dusk's mask waaaaay better then any attempt I've ever tried! Plus they look so damn cute X3 hehehehe. And I also did a pic though not as good of what Joey the shadow dragon looks like garnettfox. m/art/ Joey-Redesign-4151 91519

Cold golden eyes watched with vague interest as the three humans energetically trained jumping and moving around the courtroom dodging or taking out the dummy enemy's. truthfully the being didn't find much interesting about them gaze drawn instead to the fourth member who sat quietly somehow death to the commotion and chaos around him. a subtle twitch gave away what he was going to do to the Watcher and privetly they wished they could smirk.

A sudden leap caught the first off guard the blue one stopping confused watching as the other snatched black's scythe away cutting threw a fake foe before discarding the weapon before twisting into the famous SpinJizu and iceing up the ground causing the one in red to fall. A muffled noise that could have passed as a chuckle left them before it was forced down, cover had to kept at all times. the being frowned sharp eyes seeing the others talking to their teacher, they bristled hearing them speak ill of their forth...

Well...Admittedly not ill, just...Pointing out his faults more then they would have liked. A loud gong made them jump and almost let out a cry of shock. Almost. they watched with interest as the three took letters and a package from the elderly male at the door frowning at the casual disregard the one in black gave the letter from his father in favor of giving his pet a treat. they made a note to retrieve and read the letter later if it was not reclaimed. Who knew it could be useful.

the sound of rustling leaves caught their attention eye's narrowing at the interloper. This was their territory! they had been watching the ninja for weeks and wasn't about to let a invader get a hold of any valuable information. Moving quietly, every move picked and planned meticulously to ensure absolute silence and to manover them where the intruder couldn't see. With a single leap it was over. Sharp talons and beak piercing the inky black creature that dared come near, the shadow creature thrashed in the Falcon's grip before the pain made it admit defeat and fade away. the bird scoffed privetly thinking the creature was pathetic and lightly flapping back up to it's roost settling down to watch again.

0o0o0o0o

Lloyd snorted blinking around blurrily at the loud knock at his door Dusk raising a eyebrow at the young boy "Where's your dirty laundry it's washing day." The young albeno grumbled sleepily getting up confusing his elder brother. "Lloyd what's wrong? your normally only this tired after a nightmare and you didn't come to me last night..." He frowned sitting on the younger's bed "Lloyd you can come to me any time you know." Lloyd blinked burrily.

"Huh? Dusk no, no it wasn't a nightmare or anything!" He hugged the other "I just had trouble sleeping, it was nothing so I didn't think to wake you." Dusk blinked and ruffled his hair.

"It's ok...Sorry if I seem over baring." Lloyd snorted.

"Your over baring when some one sneezing or trips. this is you normal, and I love you either way." Dusk chuckled kissing his forehead.

"Ok Lloyd, get your washing. And don't forget you need to have those math problems done before Friday so I can submit them with the others and get you all graded." Lloyd pouted looking over at the pile of home school work he had to do on his desk.

"...Can Leah help?"

"As in aid you or do them for you?" Dusk raised a eyebrow smirking a little at the flush on Lloyd's cheeks at getting caught out. "I'll ask her, and I'm going out as Wolf later on."

"Can I come?!" Lloyd looked up at him with begging eye's Dusk sighing.

"No, you went out yesterday it's your turn to stay in and help Joey look after the younger kids." The young boy pouted looking put out.

"Awww come on big brother plllllease?" Dusk chuckled.

"No your staying in and that's final. And if Konton or any of the other shadows tell me you snuck out your grounded."

"But big broooother I thought I was your favorite." Dusk snorted.

"You are my first Moon Child and I do let you get away with more. But I don't have any favorites I love you all equally. Come on get your laundry and get down stairs breakfast is on the table." Lloyd sighed getting up the conversation from last night playing on his mind. He considered telling the other before shaking his head filling up his basket. He wanted to know what the other thing Joey was talking about before he told his brother he could be like him.

0o0o0o0o

Dusk sighed mask firmly in place as he watched the stars again shadows on the prowl. He'd been doing this for over four years now part of him wondered what kept driving him to go back to the roof tops to hunt down criminals and punish them. especially with his kids waiting at home for him to get back.

He didn't get money for this, not normally sometimes the police would give him a small reward if there was a bounty or something on the crooks. He didn't really have a vendetta against crime in general, hell he'd never even been robbed let alone a close family member murdered or hurt by a thief. something in him just made him want to help, want to protect.

Funny that. a monster wanted to protect.

He blinked a shadow whispering in his ear Dusk frowning behind the mask "...You sure? It's definitely not a bunch of guys in bad costumes?" The shadow hissed insulted insisting it had seen what it saw. "Ok ok ok I'm on my way. Forgive me for not believing the serpentine would raid a lumber yard."

0o0o0o0o

The falcon sighed eye's drooping tired after another day's endlessly watching the Ninja boredom making it ponder abandoning it's post. in the week's there hadn't been a moment where the white ninja was alone long enough for it to attempt to make contact. Just as it was about to give it up and try again tomorrow new movement caught it's eye and it froze in shock.

The white Ninja on his own. quickly checking that the others where still inside and occupied. Fearing that this was a chance that it might not get a chance like this again the Falcon hopped over to a branch close to the Ninja and chirped twice drawing the other's attention. Perfect, now to try and establish a bond of trust. The white Ninja raised a eyebrow and cocked his head, Ok this could work. The falcon copied him when the Ninja shook his head in disbelief he was once again copied. See I'm smart. The falcon thought smugly before resisting the urge to face wing at the stupid looking dance but dutifully copied it feeling his dignity shriveling in agony. The falcon cocked his head, he had the Ninja's attention now what... He once more wished he could smirk flapping off branch the white ninja following him, leading him and the others to the strange snake like creatures in the forest should prove he's trustworthy.


	10. Chapter 10

Mezmo groaned as he helped load up the last bit of timber they needed to build the stupid tree house waving at Rattla to drive off with it.

"Thissss issss ssssso degrading."

"I agree, sooooo why are you doing it?" Mezmo yelped and spun around eye's widening at the imposing wolf headed figure.

"W-W-W-WEREWOLF!" Dusk blinked and looked up at the cloudy sky taking note of the moon

"...You do know it's a Waning cresent don't you?" Dusk pointed out.

"Y-You can't trick me monssssster!" Dusk flinched eye's hardening at the insult.

"Why are you taking wood?" He snarled the snake yelping and trembling in fear.

"Thesssssse little bratssss have our general under a ssssspell and are forccccceing ussss to build a tree houssssse for them insssssstead of getting our ssssstaff back from the Ninja!" Dusk hummed frowning at the snake.

"And just where is this tree house?"

0o0o0o

"This is going great Gene! We should have done this before the heist in Jermonikai." Brad laughed a little lieing back on a plank two disgruntled Hypnobrai where carrying like a platform.

"Hey! Your the one that wanted candy!" Gene pointed out looking over crude blueprints he had made of the tree house glaring at a snake who gulped hoping he wasn't going to get humiliated. "You! booby trap that elevator!" The snake nodded and hurried to do it to get away from the mini dictators, Skales glared from the shadows fangs gritted in irritation half tempted to try his take over then and push the children from the high tree house.

The sound of them hitting the ground would be music to his ears after their whining.

He sighed and seemed to stare off into space eye's glowing dully as he looked threw the eye's of the black ninja, he smirked gathering from the conversations he could hear that they had no idea how to find them. he frowned a little seeing that the white one wasn't there but dismissed it, he didn't matter that much and they where rather well hidden even if the twin nightmares picked the location.

"Sssssskales!" He winced cutting the connection turning to face the snake that used to be his mentor and was now just a simple lap dog for the humans.

"Yessss General?" He hissed stooping low in a mocking bow not that Slitheraa noticed looking over the rest of the tribe.

"The other'ssssss work while you lazzzzze about, hardly a good image for my ssssssecond in command." Skale's eye twitched looking out at the tree house and sneering.

"Forgive me for not ssssssseeing the point of thisssssss endever, sssssnakesssss don't belong in treesssss after all." He snidely commented hoping that maybe a little common sence would get threw to the hypnotized general.

"Thisssss isssss for the two who ssssssaved usssssss! Tell me would you like to have remained trapped in the iccccccce cavesssss?! Get to work." Slitheraa snapped Skales glaring gritting his fangs.

"Ssssssnakesssss alssssso aren't sssssservents." He growled slinking away to speak with some of the hypnobrai who had completly lost faith in their General, he'd probably have to step up his plan if this kept up, he just couldn't stand the general and was moments away from attacking him Staff or no staff.

0o0o0o0o

The falcon cawed to the white Ninja encouraging him to keep up with his wing beats trying not to roll his eye's at the other stopping for breath. honestly walking such a chore, flying was much better, faster and less energy needed. letting the other have the quick brake he flew ahead and landed in a branch covered by the shadows of the leaves glinting gold eye's peering out once more wishing he could smirk.

Jackpot.

the strange snake like creatures he'd seen rather unflattering murals of where still there trying to build the strange...thing in the trees. the falcon cocked his head reminded a little of attempted 'Bird houses' he'd seen a young class of children making...Before they threw stones at him for 'Scaring the pretty birdys away' which he privetly though of as unfair discrimination.

and besides the ugly things had been to small for him, yet more discrimination against a bird of his build. he was drawn out of his musing by the soft sound of footsteps disturbing the leaves. he listened deducing the steps where to soft and carefully chosen for one of the strange snakes and spread his wings silently taking off from the branch and swooping down in-front of the startled Ninja.

"What is it you wish to show me my mysterious friend?" The falcon could have cawed for joy, Friend, he was a friend! that took a load off his mind though he reminded his self not to push it and take this tentative friendship slowly before he showed the other what he truly wanted to. carefully flapping his wings trying not to hit the others head with his feathers he alighted on his shoulder claws catching on the pristine white fabric motioning forward with his beak. the Ninja smiled and petted him quitely walking in the direction he motioned the falcon closing his eyes and feeling a pang of jealousy against cat's for being able to purr. he'd missed being petted, his feathers being gently smoothed and-there it was! he cooed softly as the area of fluffy feathers around his neck was scratched enjoying the moment.

With a heavy heart he softly nudged the hand away remembering he had to get back soon and pointed upward with his wing watching the others eye's widen in disbelief seeing the tribe of serpents in the trees. using that as a distraction he rubbed his beak against the others cheek in a quick goodbye and took off quickly gaining altitude and souring on a air current ignoring the surprised call for him to come back. He wished he could, he really did. but other pieces had to be in place,everything had to be right before he could show the other what he needed to.

0o0o0o0o

Cole sighed a cool wet towel over his eye's to block out the light and soothe his headache trying his best to relax the distant sounds of Kai and Jay sparring reassuring him that his team where ok...

Mostly.

Zane had vanished a few hours ago and while Sensai Wu had repeatedly reassured him that sometimes going off on your own was something people did (Cole could kinda relate though to be fair he was running away not just going walk about) but worry still nagged at him, this was his team, they needed and depended on him to keep them together. He couldn't do that if one of their own was AWOL...Or with his head feeling like it was about to crack open but a headache just needed a lie down and some aspirin.

A missing Ninja was a hole other kettle of fish.

He frowned hearing the sound of fighting stop and muffled talking a loud cheer making him sit up wondering what was going on taking off his towel and getting out of bed wincing at the increased pounding and the rising urge to either throw up or cower in a corner till his brain stopped trying to escape his skull. He sighed rubbing his forehead and steeled his self refusing to show weakness in front of the others walking out and smiling.

"Zane! Your back!" The blonde turned and stared at him in his odd way (something he'd weirdly done a lot of since the attack) before smiling.

"Yes I returned, and I know where the Serpentine and those odd children are." there was a moment of silence after the others matter of fact tone.

"WHAT?! You found them?!" Jay yelped grabbing his golden Nunchucks from where he dropped them after seeing Zane come home. "We gotta go like right now!" Zane blinked.

"I don't think we need to be in such a-"

"Jay's right the Snakes could vanish again at any moment!" Cole agreed ducking in to grab his Scythe. Zane blinking confused.

"I really don't think we need to worr-"

"Come on Zane hurry up!" The blonde sighed realizing finally that the others where done listening to him and just wanted to go fight the serpentine the white ninja pulling his hood over his face and double checking he had his Shriken safe in their pouch. he looked up frowning wishing the falcon would come back, he quite liked the bird, before shaking it off and running ahead the others following in his wake.

0o0o0o0o

"Get in there!" The child yelped as they where roughly thrown in a small dingy room a broken sink and badly stained mattress the only other objects in it. The child whimpered curling up small frame shaking as they looked up at the man who threw them in.

"Hey! Get the brat to shut up!" Another male apparently the boss of this place screamed the man grinning darkly at the terrified child.

"Sure think boss!" The kid screamed as they where dragged to their feet by the hair and slammed face first into the sharp edge of the broken porcelain falling to the ground out cold. Callously the man picked up the limp child and dumped them on the bed after checking the pulse not caring about the jagged wound sure to scar their face.

"Finally some quite." the boss muttered as his laky locked the door smirking counting out the cash he'd just got for this shipment.

0o0o0o0o0o


	11. Chapter 11

Lloyd blinked pausing in petting Konton his little shadow creature whining at being suddenly ignored as a different shadow gave Lloyd a note the young albino opening the note reading threw it sighing.

"Hope he's back before midnight." He grumbled huggling Konton.

" _Don't worry little one, he'll be back."_  Joey yawned Lloyd deliberately looking away and ignoring the dragon.  _"...Now that's just rude."_  Lloyd sniffed checking that no one was around before glaring at Joey.

"Maybe I wouldn't be so rude if you told me what you meant the other night!" Joey sighed.

_"It isn't that I don't want to tell you, it's that it's for the best you don't know it would only cause pain,"_ Lloyd glared at him.

"Why can't you just talk straight!" Joey snarled the boy gulping a little at the threatening display.

_"Don't you think I want to?! Just drop it Lloyd!"_ He growled slinking away Lloyd glaring and childishly stamping his foot.

"Stupid dragon!" He huffed unaware of a cleaver pair of green eyes watching him mulling over the exchange they'd just seen.

0o0o0o0o

Claire blinked peering into the small dirty window before glancing at her little shadow creature. "What do ya think Hoshi?" the creature shrugged the young girl breathing onto the glass and rubbing it to clean a area to look in properly blinking seeing a small room and a figure in the room. they seemed to be sat on a bed and crying. She frowned wanting to help and ask the poor crying person what was wrong, humming she pushed on the window the rotten wood groaning and giving a little.

"Hoshi help!" The shadow nodded at the order and pushed against the window the frame creeping before giving Claire yelping surprised the figure giving a small scream bolting to a dark corner of the room when the window landed on the bed. Claire blinked and knelt down able to poke her head into the small opening though not much else could fit threw.

"Hi!" the figure that Claire could see was a child only a few years give or take older then her. "What's your name?

"...S-saya tidak mengerti..." the child said softly Claire smiling realizing it was a girl.

"Your names Saya? That's a pretty name! Do you live here?" the girl whimpered.

"Apa yang kau katakan? Saya tidak mengerti..." Claire frowned when she repeated what she said before.

"Wait...Are you's speaking Japanese like big brother does? I'm not that good at it yet..." the girl sniffled sobbing.

"Aku ingin pulang ..." Claire blinked.

"Why's you so sad? Can you come here?" She asked softly pulling her self out a little and wriggling to get her arm in offering a hand to the girl. Hesitantly the girl came forward into the light Claire gasping in shock at the jagged scar on the other's face going over her right eye the pupil discolored from the blue of the other unharmed eye to red the strange girl taking care to tilt her head so the normal eye could focus on her.

"...Nama saya Seren, tolong bantu saya."

0o0o0o0o

Kai panted as he and the other's tried to keep up with Zane a part of him impressed the Ice Ninja had the endurence to run all the way out here and back and then come back with them with only a short brake.

"So how did you find this place?" He asked blinking at the think underbrush pausing a moment when he thought he saw something worried it could have been a serpentine. He shrugged it off seeing that there was nothing there, and it's not like the snakes could teleport or become invisible or anything crazy like that.

"I followed a bird." Zane shrugged not seeing anything wrong with that, he blinked and turned feeling the disbelieving stares of the others.

"...Was it a coo-coo bird?" Cole sniggered at Jay's joke Kai having to fight back a grin, Zane frowned at them cocking his head confused.

"No...Coo-coo Birds aren't native to Ninjago, it was a Falcon, a Peregrine falcon I believe." he shrank back a little at the unimpressed looks of the others.

"Zane...Sence of humor? It was a joke." Jay deadpanned Zane blinking and laughing awkwardly in a attempt to rectify his mistake.

"Ok where are the snakes?" Cole cut in to try and help his floundering friend Zane blinked and pointed up, the Ninja looked up the three of them freezing.

"...Well I'll be damned." Jay blinked watching the Hypnobrai working to make the tree house the structure looking pretty unstable.

"...You the the ropes it'll probably come crashing down." Cole yelped spinning around a second yelp coming from the Rabid Wolf who held his hands up in a surrender the blade of the Scythe of Quakes at his throat. "I'm unarmed!" Cole growled glaring a little at Zane as the other grabbed his arm.

"I sense he means no harm Cole." Reluctantly he lowered his weapon Jay laughing.

"No harm?! You saw his powers he's evil!" Kai noticed a flash of hate in the Rabid Wolf's eye before the male took a breath held it for a few seconds and let it go.

"Not everything that hides in the dark is evil, don't you Ninja Stick close to the shadows to avoid being seen?" Jay opened his mouth to retort then froze realizing he really didn't have a comeback to that and shut it looking embarrassed.

"We need him to stick around, normally it's only with his teeth glued Jay's this quite." Kai sniggered.

"How did you come across this place?" Zane asked frowning a little.

"I asked him." The Wolf pointed at the bushes Mezmo being shoved out by a shadow creature. The snake looked around panicked and latched onto Cole.

"Hey get off!" The Hypnobrai whimpered.

"Don't let the Werewolf eat me pleasssssssssse!" Kai and Jay blinked looking up at the sky.

"...But it's day time..."

"Don't even try I spent half a hour last night trying to point out that it wasn't even the full moon." The Wolf sighed shaking his head at the snake looking back up at the trees. "The ropes seem to be the main support, you cut them the tre ehouse would probably crumble under it's own weight." Zane nodded.

"It would be simple, three of us cut the ropes while the other two distract the snakes in the tree house."

"Uhrm Zane? Ii think your maths is a little off, there's four of us." Jay pointed out.

"No...There's five, us and Wolf if he doesn't mind helping." Wolf shrugged.

"Sure thing, I'm happy to distract them if you like." Cole glared about to interject Kai quickly getting between them.

"I'll go with him, just don't cut the last rope till we're off it ok?" both Jay and Cole looked unhappy with the development but seeing they where out numbered in this dropped it Zane, Cole and Jay climbing the trees taking care to stay in the dark shadows of the branches.

"Close your eye's a sec." Kai blinked as Wolf took his arm.

"What?"

"Just do it unless you want to be stumbling around half blind for ten minutes." Wolf said flatly raising a eyebrow when the ninja actually did it surprised by the show of trust. holding onto his arm he shadow traveled them onto the tree house in a small corner where they couldn't be seen. "Open them." Kai did so startled looking around them.

"how did you...?" Wolf shrugged

"It's something I can do, I'd try explaining but we'd both end up confused."

"Ninja!" One Serpentine yelped Wolf and Kai looking up Kai drawing his sword glancing at the Wolf.

"Where's your weapon?" Wolf chuckled a little.

"I don't need one." Before Kai could question it the Snake screamed trying to fight off...A big black dog? "Shadow creatures, useful aren't they?" Kai nodded dumbly spinning around as Snakes started to surround them.

"How many can you make?"

"I can get to bout thirty before I pass out, but right now?" Wolf yelped leaning away from a attempted sword strike a second creature pouncing on the Snake. "I think two or three's my limit with the space!" Kai growled parrying a blade before clashing it out of the Hypnobrai's hands making sure to look at the hood or chest never the eyes.

"I was a little afraid of that!"

"Don't worry long as the other three don't screw up we'll be fine!" Wolf grinned stumbling a little as the tree house jerked as the first rope was cut "See! This'll be over quick!"

0o0o0o0o

Skales yelped grabbing onto a banister ignoring the confused yells of the two children, with any luck they'd crack their heads open on the side or something. He frowned narrowing his eyes before spotting a flash of blue and the tree house tilting harshly several pieces of wood tumbling as the fall jolted the nails out of place. "The Ninja?!" He frowned then smirked spotting Slitheraa floundering to save the kids. "Maybe I can kill two birdssssss with one sssssstone..." he mused eye's glowing.

On the third tree Cole leaned against the bark next to the rope waiting for the others to get clear before he sliced it, though cutting it with the crook Dog guy inside tempted him more then he cared to admit to. Suddenly the dull ache in his skull exploded into pure agony his mind going blank apart from the searing pain biting his lip threw in a attempt to stop his self screaming.

_'listen to me_ ' he wanted to collapse in relief as the cool calm voice cut threw the pain soothing it the black ninja trembling lightly.  _'Kill the Ninja'_  what?

"N-no..." He couldn't do that, they where his friend's his brothers he couldn't just betray them like that! This time a scream did finally escape him as the voice left the pain coming back tenfold making him collapse to his knees.

_'Kill the ninja and it will stop.'_ He grit his teeth part of him sure that he could hear them cracking and braking under the pressure.

"I-I don't want to!"

_'Fine then!'_ Cole's head snapped back as Skale's angered by his reluctance to comply overloaded his mind with pain effectivly knocking the ninja out his eye's glowing red as the Serpentine commanded the now will-less ninja to get up ' _Kill them, Now!'_ The puppet slowly nodded grasping the Scythe and sliding down the rope jumping on and facing the others who had converged on the roof.

"What are you doing? You where ment to cut the rope Cole!" Kai snapped Cole turning his blank gaze on the Fire ninja who shrank back as he meniced forward the light glinting off his weapon.

"Your not going anywhere."


	12. Chapter 12

Dusk grunted pushing the Hypnobrai back letting his shadow creatures bite and savage them till the serpentine gave up, he could in theory make a shadow weapon but unlike the Ninja was untrained in using them so he'd probably sooner hurt his self then the snakes. He smirked a little back to back with the red ninja, at lest this mission of sorts had it's perks, he got to be around the hot (pun intended) red ninja.

"This way!" Speaking of whom the red ninja grabbed his arm pulling Dusk up so they could get to the roof the floor shaking under their footsteps, this place didn't have long left in it. Dusk raised a eyebrow seeing the last of the snakes obey the retreat yelled by one of the higher up snakes.

"You could have left me, not like your leader would complain." He pointed out flicking his wrist shadow creature's fading to nothing.

"Hey I owe you for fixing my family's shop, and besides it wouldn't be right." Dusk blinked honestly surprised as they came onto the roof the white and blue ninja's joining them.

"Where's Blacky? We need to get moving." Dusk frowned yelping as something jumped down behind him sighing seeing it was just the black ninja.

"What are you doing? You where ment to cut the rope Cole!" Red snapped the black ninja giving him a blank look eye's tinted red his golden Scythe glinting coldly in the light as he meneced forward.

"Your not going anywhere."

"Oh man he's been hypnotized!" Blue yelped backing away the three obviously not wanting to hurt their friend.

"What do we do?" Dusk growled wearily eyeing the roof edge the thought of falling off to the hard forest floor not appealing to him very much.

"Maybe we can shock him out of it?" Red suggested Blue paling.

"I don't want to hurt him!" he yelped voice on the cusp of squeaking in panic.

"Look we've got to do some-Gah!" Dusk cried dodging narrowly out the way of the golden blade of Black's scythe the weapon digging into the wood a few scant inches from his feet.

"Why are you staying?" White questioned looking confused throwing one of his Shuriken to attempt to freeze the murderous hypnotized ninja "This is not your fight." Dusk shrugged distractedly shadows grabbing at the black Ninja's to try and trip him up but he just sliced threw them.

"It wouldn't be right." He offered as a explanation truthfully not knowing why he was sticking around. Red cried out as the hypnotized one hit him hard sending him back against a plank of the wood the structure groaning and giving way under his weight the quick reflexes of the White Ninja the only thing saving him from plumating to the ground below. Blue winced gripping his golden nunchucks.

"Sorry Cole, but this is going to hurt you more then it hurts me." He spun the change a electric charge gathering and crackling along it before releasing it the Black ninja falling back scythe ripped from it's grip. they stayed tense as he picked his self up groaning as they saw his eye's still red the Ninja quickly grabbing his downed weapon and attacking the blue throwing him off the edge.

"JAY!" Dusk's eye's widened rushing to the side sighing in relief seeing him grab a vine and swing to a lower level saving his self.

"THAT IS A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD!" He yelled up the two remaining ninja seeming equal parts annoyed by the bad joke and glad he was ok.

"How are we meant to beat him without hurting him and without the anti-venom?!" Dusk grit his teeth at Red's question truthfully not knowing. He looked down to double check Blue was ok blinking seeing the snakes carrying away the two kids who'd been ordering them around but thought nothing of it.

"I don't know, hope he get's tired?" He offered feebly blinking as a soft flute started playing the sound echoing around the forest "What the?"

"GAH!" Black collapsed to his knees holding his hands to his ears as if the soothing music was painful to listen to shaking as a bright red and yellow dragon came barreling threw the trees Nya and a old man sat on it's back the man playing the flute that seemed to have paralyzed the black ninja. Dusk yelped as the Blue ninja burst threw the trap door to the roof looking around for the first Cole keeling over out cold by the look of it.

"Is he ok?" Dusk asked kneeling and sitting the Black ninja up as he started coming back around.

"He will be." The old man said looking over the Ninja the three bowing to him, "This flute is as old as the serpentine and brings them pain with it's music. as such it can also brake the Hypnobrai's spell." Dusk nodded letting the red ninja take over helping Black to his feet. "Quickly we had to leave the monastery unprotected." The man urged them the four getting on, of them only Red and White bothering to wave back at him before the dragon took off.

"...So that's where the fire dragon went...Huh Joey will be happy." Dusk blinked seeing more planks fall and called up his shadows to take him home, he needed a rest after all that excitement.

0o0o0o0o

Lloyd huffed annoyed after the 'talk' with Joey curling up in his bed cuddling Benji the old worn bat teddy a great comfort to him, he smiled a little snuggling it looking around at his large collection of toys sighing. He blinked looking up at a knock on his door smiling at Leah.

"Hey you ok?" She nodded sitting on the edge of his bed motioning for his hand, He smiled and let her take his hand tracing symbols on it.

'Are you alright?' Lloyd chuckled giving her a grin.

"Why wouldn't I be Leah?" He laughed Leah looking unsure.

'You seemed upset earlier'

"Well uhrm...I'm a little sad big brothers had to go out a lot more then normal." Leah raised a eyebrow but didn't seem to question it still lightly holding his hand.

"...And they call it, puppy loooooooove." Dusk sniggered leaning in the door way Lloyd yelped startled Leah dropping his hand like it was a hot poker standing her cheeks tinted pink.

"Your back!" Lloyd grinned getting up and glomping his brotherly figure Leah joining in the hug, Dusk smiled kneeling and cuddling the pair of them.

"You behaved?" Lloyd and Leah nodded Dusk ruffling their hair. "Good, you seen Claire?" Leah frowned shaking her head, normally she looked after the hyper ginger but James one of the older kids offered to take her for the day so she could catch up on school work.

"No sorry Dusk I've been in all day reading that Tara...What ever book for work." Dusk raised a eyebrow.

"Bridge to Terabithia?" Lloyd nodded blinking as small running footsteps could be heard.

"Here's trouble." He chuckled Claire hugging his knees.

"Hey sweetie you ok?" She giggled nodding.

"Uhuh! I think I made friends with this odd girl, I didn't knows what she was saying but she was really nice and pretty!" Dusk smiled petting her hair.

"Maybe she can come to play with you sometime." Claire frowned a little.

"I dunno, the window's to small to get threw." Dusk froze Lloyd and Leah giving each other confused looks.

"Window?"

"Uhuh, her doors got lot's of locks on the other side so she can't get out." Claire continued not noticing the hard look in her guardians eyes.

"Really now?"

"Yup, and she anit got's no toys just a mattress and a sink, can I take her some toys tomorrow?" Dusk knelt kissing her forehead.

"I have a better idea, you get a room ready for her." Claire squealed.

"She's gonna be a Moon child?!" She hugged him tight and skipped off Dusk sighing a little rubbing his forehead.

"No rest for the wicked." He mused putting his mask back on Lloyd sighing.

"Your going out again?" Dusk nodded wincing.

"I promise tomorrow and for the next few days I won't go out." He hugged the young boy "I'm sorry." he sighed motioning at Hoshi the little shadow pet whispering in his ear where the girl was before shadow traveling away, first stop the police.

0o0o0o0o

Well...Uhrm...Opps?

This...Wasn't supposed to happen, the falcon held back a groan looking at the devastation that had leveled the monastery and the bickering ninja. the falcon shifted on it's perch worried, was the white ninja going to blame him for this, was their tentative friendship over before it began? the falcon rapped it's claws against the tree trying to think, it had to do something to make up for this disaster. it looked up thinking of something it had seen once during it's fly over's of Ninjago nodding to it's self, yes the old ship!

Sure it would need fixing up...Badly...But it would be at lest habitable. more so then this place was anymore.

Mind made up the falcon flapped it's wings and cawed pleased when the white ninja looked up and immediately started to follow pausing only to jump on his dragon wanting to know what the falcon had to show him. the sign of trust made the falcon want to loop-de-loop in joy pondering if a detor would be a good idea...

It shook it's head, no it was to soon, focus on getting him to his new home and let him settle in before dropping that bombshell.


	13. Chapter 13

The police Chief sighing going threw paper work rubbing at his eyes glancing at the clock, already a hour after his clocking out time and he was still doing this. Sometimes the high paying jobs aren't worth the hassle he mused signing a few more paper.

"Good evening Commissioner Gordon." A smile tugged at his lips.

"Should have guessed you where a Batman fan." Dusk chuckled coming out of the shadows.

"Actually I'm more of a Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Shazam kinda guy. Though Dead Pool is hilarious." The Chief rolled his eyes.

"What do you want Pup?" Dusk rolled his eyes.

"I'm a Wolf not a pup!...And even then I'd be a Cub." The Chief snorted.

"I can hear you pouting, well?" Dusk huffed.

"...I think one of my kids might have stumbled on that human trafficking ring you've been looking for for three months Malcangi." Malcangi froze then leaped to his feet rounding on the Vigilante.

"I swear to god if your fucking with me Wolf I will end you and put those kids in Care homes." Dusk narrowed his eyes.

"You know I don't joke about this kind of thing Malcangi." The man growled lightly.

"Which one and how."

"Claire, she was playing and slipped out of sight of the older kids. by chance she saw a figure threw a window and with help from her shadow creature opened the door finding a girl who was scarred, terrified out of her mind and locked in a tiny dingy room talking in a language Claire didn't understand. At the very lest if it's not the traffickers it's a sick case of child abuse." Malcangi grunted rapping his fingers against the desk.

"I'm guessing you want in on it?"

"And I want to take in the kid." Malcangi scoffed.

"Should have guessed, if it's the traffickers we are gonna do our best to send her home."

"And if she doesn't have a home to go back to?"

"...Then she's yours." Malcangi agreed "If there isn't a care home available for her." He added Dusk nodded a grateful look in his eyes. Malcangi sighing knowing that if she didn't have a family the kid was as good as the Wolf's anyway, he was fiercely protective and territorial over what or who he considered his.

0o0o0o0o

"Tik Tik Tik bunyi hujan di atas genteng," A child's soft voice whispered in the dark of the tiny dingy room the little girl shivering curling up tighter unused to the cold that seeped into the room from the open window, every now and again she looked up at the little window that tantalizingly displayed freedom but refused to give it.

If it wasn't for that strange but nice girl with a smiling face she'd hate that window with all her heart "Airnya turun tidak terkira." Odd, normally by now one of the brutes who held her here would have come banging on the door screaming at her to be quiet.

"Cobalah tengok, daun dan ran-" She cut her self off with a scream as one of the men almost knocked down her door trembling with fear.

"Shut the fuck up you little bitch!" She whimpered not understanding the words but hearing the threat and insult's in his tone "If I hear another word out of you we'll toss you into the brake room with the other guys and keep you quite the way way we keep the other whores and bitches in this place!" She shook her head hurriedly curling into a ball tears rushing down her face biting her lip not daring to make a sound

_Terkasih Seren kecil, gadis kecil pemberani saya..._

She felt the farthest thing from it.

0o0o0o0o0o

Dusk petted one of his shadow creatures to distract his self trying not to think about what could be going on in that building. While the Ninja busied themselves with Snakes and Skullen Dusk kept his self closer to home, in his four years in Ninjago city gang and drug activity had gone down hard along with other forms of crime associated with them. He couldn't claim to take all the credit, hell technically he couldn't take any as he just scared them into giving themselves into police.

It was the lest he could do, to repent for what he was.

Dusk blinked turning realizing one of the officers what talking to him, or at him considering he hadn't been paying attention.

"Hum?"

"I said, are you and your little pet's ready?" Dusk chuckled nodding.

"I'm ready."

"Remember no hurting them unless they get violent or pull guns on us, you focus on protecting the women in there. And try not to kill anyone." Dusk bristled at the veiled insult to his honer.

"I have never killed or even seriously hurt any criminal I have ever come across Officer." He growled turning away and approaching some of the more friendly officers.

"What bout that gang a few years back?" The man scoffed "One thug alone needed bout sixty stitches!"

"Wolf's sense of 'Seriously hurt' is a little different then ours." Malcangi sighed "if some one get's disabled then their 'Seriously hurt' and to be fair he's never disabled or killed anyone."

"He's a lose cannon and should be locked up!" The officer hissed Malcangi raising a eyebrow.

"Please, find me a cell that he can't shadow travel out of or use his creatures to brake out. And even then your on your own, he's a asset whether we like it or not he helps out and unlike you lot I don't have to pay him overtime." With that he turned away the officer realizing the conversation had been ended if he liked it or not grumbling under his breath as they made the final preparations for the raid.

0o0o0o0o

It was hard not to scream as the loud echoing blasts rang threw the dilapidated building fierce and angry shouts ringing in the girls ears as the chaos raged outside the flimsy door that offered the only protection she had from what ever lay outside. The girl sobbed berrying her face into the stained mattress trying to block out the painful noises and memory's that the sounds brought of her beautiful mother lying still a glinting pool of blood soaking the floor and her once proud and strong father kneeling begging and pleading for her before his life to was cut short.

A scream finally ripped his self free from her as thuds rained down on her door the wood cracking and splintering under the force something or someone trying to get in. She trembled looking up seeing inky black claws tearing into the obstacle determined to get in, to get her. She sobbed tears wetting the rough fabric of her bed as a final loud crunch told her the monster had finally gotten threw body tensed ready for bloody claws to rip her apart and sharp teeth to devour her.

Nothing.

For a good minute the monster, what ever it was did nothing. She flinched feeling the worn springs give under the weight of the thing wondering why it was taking it's time. the beast was probably enjoying this, raveling in her terror.

A gentle purr and the feeling of soft fur brushing against her arm made her freeze mind going blank. What kind of monster purred like a kitten? hesitantly she looked up staring at the creature sat on her mattress with her.

The large black panther blinked staring back before leaning forward and carefully licking her tears away softly nuzzling the small child offering the comfort she'd craved and been denied since the night she'd been ripped from her home. With a grief filled howl she cling to the creature sobbing into's fur the cat moving a paw to hold her back rubbing and patting her like a parent comforting their child. She sniffled looking up at the beast eye's swimming with tears.

"A-adalah roh Anda? salah satu nenek moyang saya datang untuk menyelamatkan saya?" The panther offered no response only using it's tail to brush away her tears.

"Hello?" She flinched at the voice not most certainly hadn't came from her new guardian clinging to the cat before daring to look over freezing fear claiming her mind once more. The man stood in her doorway wasn't a man, he was a half wolf creature his snarling mouth open and hungry for meat. she whimpered as he approached trying to scoot away but the panther still held her. She looked up a hurt sense of betrayal at the creature that comforted her now holding her for this other to kill. The man-wolf blinked and looked back out the doorway making odd hand gestures for some reason before knelling before.

 _And took off his face_.

Under the wolf face a normal human smiled at her softly holding out the wolf face as if offering it to her. "It's a mask, don't be scared." She blinked frowning at him the words he was speaking a bit more familiar then the ones the other men who took her used. Hesitatingly she reached out and took the face blinking when she didn't feel warm skin and fur but a cold and hard mask. She stared at it and giggled a little shaking before she finally broke into hysterical laughter finding her former fears absurd and stupid now seeing the 'creature' she feared was just a odd man in a mask.

She looked up broken out of her hysterics as the panther got off the bed whimpering a little not want it to leave her alone. she frowned as it rubbed it's self against the mans legs like a large house cat purring looking back at her and up at him. Then it clicked, the cat was trying to show her the man was nice, that he was to be trusted. She slowly got up still holding the painted mask in her hands looking up at him gazing into his kind blue grey eyes before tackling him in a hug like she had the panther trembling lightly. With care the man picked her up holding her against his chest cradling her like her mother had when she was young.

"Name?" She blinked looking up frowning a little "Name?" he asked again the girl thinking hard to where she'd heard the word before until it clicked remembering the smiling girl asking her that.

"Seren...uhrm...Name?" She asked back unsure. the man smiled letting go with one hand her grip on him tightening as he pointed at his self.

"Dusk." She nodded slowly.

"Deeeeusssk?" She tried the man beaming at her before taking the mask and putting it on Seren whimpering a little at the scary image.

"Rabid Wolf." She frowned.

"Raaahbeeed Ulllf?" Though she couldn't see his mouth anymore his smile glinted in his eyes the panther trotting at his side as he carried her to the main room Seren blinking seeing many women some of who she remembered from the village, she wondered where the men had gone.

"Can any of you speak English?" She blinked looking up at him as she addressed the women the man sighing a little getting nothing but blank stares back at him.

"Nihonjin? Anata gata no uchi ni wa, nihongo o hanasu?" he tried again speaking in another tongue one of the women looking up.

"Ikutsu ka node wa naku, yoikedo, watashi wa ikutsu ka o motte iru." Seren cuddled into his comforting hold as he spoke to the woman.

"Kono shōjo wa Seren de, kanojo wa kazoku o motte imasen shite kudasai?" the woman slowly shook her head picking her words from her limited vocabulary.

"Iyaiya, karera ga kōgeki suru toki ni korosa reta haha no chīfu, chichi no shisha wa kanojo no tame ni monogoi o shite mimashita. Kanojo no tame ni daremoinai." His hold tightened on her sorrow in his eyes as he rocked her Seren sniffling and snuggling down eye's drooping still unsure just who the man was but glad he was there.

0o0o0o0o0o

"So what's the story?" Malcangi asked eyeing the Wolf as he petted the young girls hair.

"Their Indonesian, the young woman Mia I think knows a little Japanese so I was able to get some info from her." He nodded waiting for him to go on. "...Their villages where attacked by militants killed most of the men and some women who fought back. they apparently kept the kids they thought could make child soldiers." The chief winced looking down at the girl.

"Why wasn't she then?" Dusk shrugged.

"Your better off asking them, she's a chiefs daughter but must have thought she wasn't strong enough or something." He sighed.

"So her parents?"

"Dead, there's no one left for her." Malcangi shook his head sadly at the young girl.

"...I'll have the papers for you either tomorrow or Friday." The Wolf smiled under his mask carefully picking up the slumbering girl.

"Thanks, I owe you." Malcangi chuckled.

"I'll remember that next time I have a stake out and no one else to do the dirty work." The Wolf nodded to him his shadows rising up and spiriting him away the chief smiling a little glad the girl would be taken care of.

0o0o0o0o

Leah sighed a little putting on a smile as Claire bounced around the formerly spare bedroom the hyperactive seven year old arranged and rearrange the pillows and bed spread hardly pausing for breath as she chattered.

"And I know we's gonna be bestest friends all three of us! Oh and I bet's she's gonna love the room!" Like any girly girl could resist garishly pink sheets. Leah rolled her eyes a little used to Claire's ways.

"Hey you two." Claire gasped and glomped Dusk's legs the elder chuckling lightly.

"Your back!"

"Yep but be quite, Seren's sleeping." Leah blinked gazing at the bundle in his arms as their guardian gently set her on the bed tucking her in.

"She's pretty." Claire smiled "Like a princess!" Leah chuckled softly able to guess just who Claire was going to be begging to play dress up with tomorrow.

"Uhuh but be really nice and patent with her. She doesn't speak English, she's Indonesian." Claire blinked Leah humming.

"Indohuh?"

"She's from another country and doesn't know our language so we're gonna have to try and teach her." Claire nodded slowly Leah quietly pulling out a note book glad she was going out the next day writing down notes on needing a Indonesian to English dictionary and probably a book on customs. She smirked a little tucking it away as Dusk got up carrying Claire to put her to bed. Her research would only take a few hours at most, sometimes a eidetic memory was useful.

0o0o0o0o


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may or may not be a surprise for people, but thanks to some lovely comments from Panda I've decided to do my best to update and maybe fricking finish this fic, I can't make many promises other then we're at least going to get up to chapter 17 as I already have those chapters written. But I'm at least going to try and have a chapter of fully new content for this story out before years end.  
> Thank you everyone willing to read this old thing, and thanks Panda for inspriring me to try and kick my writers block up the ass for lasting so bloody long XD

Brad gulped feeling the glares of the hypnobrai on the back of his neck shrinking back almost trying to hide behind Gene who was frowning reading the book on the Serpentine.

"Gene what are we going to do?!" He hissed eyeing the snakes nervously eyes drawn to Skales who held the golden staff Slitheraa used to.

"We're going to get Slitheraa to take his staff back." Gene frowned. "Before Skales is recognized as General and we lose control of them." Brad bit his lip.

"M-maybe we should cut our losses and get out of here? B-back to Darkleys…" The ginger glared at the darker haired boy Brad flinching. "Come on Gene we've lost against the Ninja twice and now we don't even have a headquarters!" Gene scoffed.

"So? There are four other tribes Brad." He smirked looking over the map "Even if we don't get control of the Hypnobrai back we can still crush them and prove we're more evil then Lloyd!" Brad sighed not even bothering to point out the holes in Gene's plan. Part of him considered abandoning Gene to be eaten by snakes knowing that if given the choice Gene would probably do it and not look back. But messed up as it was he still valued the….Kinda sorta friendship they had. So he resigned his self to following the rather delusional ginger.

"Gardening is so much easier than this." He muttered to his self, gulping hoping they would be alive long enough to get to one of the other tribes.

O0o0o0o0o0o0

Cole sniggered a little at Jay as the lightning Ninja shepherded his parents around the ship shaking his head lightly at him. Sure the two where a little annoying with the constant chatter (like Kai put it, the cherry doesn't fall far from the blossom) but the story's where at lest entertaining, and funnier then most of the jokes Jay told anyway. He flopped on the couch sighing a little as his body relaxed glad that the Hypnobrai was finally out of his head, the pain had been driving him crazy.

"You mind?" Kai asked grabbing the remote, "I kinda wanna drown out the three chatterboxes." Cole idly waved him off.

"Sure, sure. Stick the news on or something." The fire Ninja complied switching the TV flicking to the news channel to check what was going on.

"-While it remains unclear where exactly our Ninja are living now we are sure that they are healthy and ready to fight should the serpentine attack once more." The newscaster smiled turning to her partner.

"Huh us and the monastery made the news." Cole raised a eyebrow "We're famous."

"Just don't expect me to ask for your autograph." Kai snorted as they moved on to a new topic.

"-Our top story tonight-"

"Wait we weren't the top story? What's more important then us?"

"Police have finally located and raided a Human trafficking ring that has plagued Ninjago city for months."

"…..Feel like a ass Cole?"

"You even need to ask?" Cole groaned face palming at his self only half listening to the details.

"Police are only saying that they received information from a anonymous source who has not yet come forward."

"You kidding?! The guy should come forward he's a hero!" Kai snorted Cole shrugged.

"Maybe the guys worried any free guys would come gunning for him, or he was one of the traffickers and had a change of heart."

"The sixteen women found at the property have been confirmed to be Indonesian and are currently being taken care of in Ninjago hospital with a police guard while their arrangements to be transported back home are made with the Indonesian government." Kai hummed.

"Lest their getting home." He mused frowning and flipping the channel when talk turned to sports uninterested in the subject.

"Ya….Hey what happened to the Mutt yesterday?" Cole asked frowning.

"Huh?"

"My minds blank from when the Snake took me over, did he run with his tail between his legs." He smirked a little "Coward…" Kai frowned.

"Actually he stayed and fought with us, Zane even asked why he was sticking around and he just said he was and kept fighting. I don't know where he went after that." He shrugged Cole frowning.

"Should have grabbed him and gave him to the police they'd love to lock him up." Kai sighed blinking hearing Jay hurrying his parents out.

"Whatever dude, I'm gonna say bye to the Walkers, you coming?" Cole nodded getting off the couch stretching lightly.

"I'm coming I'm coming."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Seren yawned softly blinking awake frowning at the fluffy pillow she found her head resting on and the cushy quilt she was wrapped up in. She sat up the events of yesterday coming back to her, the horrible men, the panther, the nice man taking her away….

Where were they? She got out the bed slowly looking around the foreign room pulling the curtain of the small window to look out side at the red sky that was slowly brightening.

"Morning." She bit back a scream turning sharply staring at the strange pale boy eye's darting around for a weapon. The boy looked confused for minute before backing away hands up in a surrender.

"Sorry, sorry forgot you where in a bad situation before you got here." Seren trembled whimpering shaking hands grabbing a small chair and moving it in front of her as a makeshift shield.

"What ar-…Oh….Ya….No english….Urhm…Nihongo? Anata wa nihongo o shitte imasu ka?" Seren frowned the last few words reminded her of the strange ones the man spoke last night.

"Ah…Damn it I only know Japanese from Dusk not anything else." She blinked.

"Deeeeussssk?" the boy blinked.

"Ya ya! Big brother Dusk!" Seren nodded her head, so this boy had something to do with the nice man Dusk. The red eyed boy pointed at her smiling a little.

"Your Seren." She blinked and slowly pointed at her self.

"Seren ya saya Seren." she nodded the strange boy grinning pointing at his self.

"I'm Lloyd, Lloyd." Seren cocked her head.

"Luuuuhoooid?" He nodded.

"That's right, we're Moon Children." She frowned at him. "Uhrm...You know the kids of the Rabid Wolf?"

"Raahaabid Ulf?"

"Ya big brother!" Lloyd smiled offering a hand "Dusk is our big brother, which means we're siblings to so...Your kinda my little sister, so I'm going to look out for you." Slowly Seren took his hand offering a small smile, she wasn't to sure what he was saying but anyone who was with the kind man and the panther was good in her book.

0o0o0o0o

Leah smiled a little looking into the play room watching Lloyd trying to get the rather shy seeming girl Seren to play ball with him. the Indonesian girl giggling and bouncing the ball around Lloyd diving after it laughing. Sure they would be alright and that Dusk would be up soon to look after them she left heading straight to the Ninjago city library not even glancing at librarian who waved at her heading straight to the languages department glancing over the titles before picking out a think tome.

_Bambang1 vast, extensive..._

0o0o0o0o

"Gene come on! We're going to be in enough trouble for this. If we go back maybe the teacher's won't use the rod." Brad tried shivering with fear trying not to look at the gravestones around them and pretending it wasn't a graveyard they where walking threw.

_I am not walking over dead bodys, I am not walking over dead rotting bodys, I am not walking over...dead r-rotting bodys ready t-to burst out the g-ground and eat our brai-_

"There it is!" Brad screamed at the sudden exclamation looking around expecting to see zombies coming for them Gene giving him a flat look.

"Coward." He scoffed looking up at the mutated tree that had grown into the visage of twin snake heads writhing and snapping at the air. "Now according to this the leaver is right around..." He smirked pulling a root the ground shaking and opening Brad diving behind a headstone.

"Idontwannadieidontwannadieidontwannadie..."He cowered as dark shapes leapt out the tomb surrounding them a large two headed serpentine general slivering up infront of Gene boredly regarding them.

"And who?"

"May I ask realisssssed us?"

"From our captavity?" it asked a thick accent coloring his words. Gene grinned darkly.

"I'm Gene, I unleashed you to get back at the Hypnobrai!" the Snake looked intreaged.

"The Hypnobrai?"

"Thosssse hypnotizing deceaver'sssss..." the two heads shared a look considering it before smirking at the young boy.

"It will be,"

"Our pleassssure." Brad whimpered trying to vanish into the darkness of the graveyard.

"I have a worse feeling then with the Hypnobrai...How can I have a worse feeling about these guys?!" He screamed as one of the Vangpires hissed in his ear laughing at his reaction. Gene rolled his eyes checking the map.

"Ignore him, I'll lead the way and after that there's some Ninja that need taking care of..."

"You sssssound."

"Like you know."

"What you want."

"Buuut the Hypnobrai are many in number."

"And we are but few." The general frowned.

"Well what do we do about that?" all of the snaked started chuckling grey-white eyes eye's glowing in the gloom of the night.

"Let'sssss just sssssay..."

"We Fangpires Bite off more then we can Chew..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lloyd: Japanese? Do you speak Japanese?


	15. Chapter 15

Claire sighed bored lay on Leah's bed snuggled into the soft fabric "She promised we could play dress up with Seren today." She sniffled a little hurt that the other had gone somewhere without her hugging the older girls pillow. "Leah's never gone without t-telling me before...N-not since she pulled me out the box..." She didn't notice Leah in the doorway a guilty look on her face. Sighing a little she sat down on the bed Claire squeaking looking up.

"L-Leah!" She gulped and hugged the older girl. "I-I thought you left...I was scared you where gone like momma and papa..." Leah hugged her tight, gently taking her hand and signing.

"I'm sorry Claire, you where sleeping and I wanted to go the library." Claire looked down rubbing her eyes a little.

"O-oh...I'm s-sorry Leah...I'm over reacting..." Leah shook her head.

"Your not, I should have wrote you a note." Claire sniffed a little giving Leah a tiny smile.

"Why'd you go the library."

"I needed to read a Indonesian Dictonary. Now to see if I'll be any good translating for Seren."

0o0o0o0o

Seren giggled a little at the strange red eye'd boy 'Lloyd' biting his tongue a little balancing the ball they'd been playing with on his head some of the other kid's who lived in this place either watching or playing with each other seemingly waiting for something. She blinked cocking her head as she spotted the strange girl who she'd been threw the window the other day holding the hand of a older blonde girl with a pad and pencil approuching them.

"Morning Leah! Hey Claire." 'Lloyd chirped letting the ball drop. the blonde girl glanced at her and looked down at the pad writing on it before shoving it at her Seren blinking and reading it.

"halo Seren, aku Leah salah satu Anak Bulan seperti Anda sekarang." She cocked her head looking up at Leah.

"Eh, Bulan Anak?" Leah's answer took longer for her to write her lips moving in silence reading back what was on the page before handing it back.

"Anak-anak yang diambil oleh Fanatik Serigala kita baik tidak memiliki rumah dan keluarga untuk kembali ke, atau keluarga kita di mana kejam dan dia membawa kami untuk menyelamatkan kita." Seren blinked and looked down.

"Ibu dan ayah saya sudah meninggal ... Apa yang dia inginkan sebagai balasannya?" She blinked surprised when Leah chuckled a tiny smile on her face.

"Tidak ada. Selain untuk menjaga kami dan hubungi kami keluarga."

"...Huh?" A small giggle left the girl at her dumb struck look pointing again at the paper Seren staring at it. "Anda bercanda kan?" Leah shook her head "...Mengapa?" She shrugged writing again.

"Saya kira dia hanya ingin sebuah keluarga." Seren frowned taken by complete surprise. He took in and saved all these children and asked nothing in return...Because he wanted a family?

"Morning you lot." she looked up at the familiar voice smiling a little seeing Dusk again the elder male still looking half asleep a baggy shirt and shorts serving as his night clothes. He chuckled a little seeing her kneeling down. "And what are you two up to?" he asked looking between the pair. She blinked as Leah took the mans hand tracing unknown symbols onto his palm.

"I was just talking with Seren." He raised a eyebrow at her "Eidetic memory remember." He chuckled

"Right right, Seren?" The small indoneisian girl looked up

"Ehr Ya Deeeusssk?" He looked to Leah who put her pensal to the pad to translate what he said.

"Are you ok? Is your eye bothering you?"

"Dia ingin tahu apakah Anda ok dan jika bekas luka Anda mengganggu Anda." Seren blinked touching the mark, it'd actually slipped her mind in the excitement, it didn't hurt to seem to be infected and after the initial fuzziness yesterday her eyesight was fine.

"Eh...Ok?" Dusk smiled again making a odd motion with his hand Seren gasping as the panther from last night leaserly walked out of a dark corner. The large cat nuzzled her Seren giggling and petting it eye's widening as it shrank down to the size of a kitten rubbing against her legs. The stunned girl blinked as the male picked up the shrinking kitten and offered it to her the cat looking up with oddly gleaming white eyes.

"This is Suta and he's yours now." Hesitently she took the kitten from him cuddling it.

"Eh, Seeutaaaah?" He smiled and nodded.

"Suta." She smiled back cuddling the shadow creature.

"Seeutaah!"

0o0o0o0o

"A junk yard?" Brad frowned glancing up at Fangtom from behind Gene "Why a junk yard?"

"Who cares as long as they grow their army." Gene scoffed looking around and smirking "Side's there's no one here."

"Pitty." The red snake muttered "I could have ussssssed a ssssssnack." He hissed angrilly as alarms went off. "What isssss that?!" Gene ran over to the rundown looking trailer and flipped open the power box switching it off.

"It's just a alarm system." He shrugged Fangton humming turning to his men.

"You know what to do!" Several serpentine saluted him going threw the trash looking for something.

"...Gene we should just go." Brad sighed unimpressed with the dumpster diving the snakes where doing leaning against a sheet of metal yelping when the rusted steel gave way revealing a delapitated motorbike. "Wow Cool!"

"Yesssss, very cool"

"And jussssst what we need." Fangtom practically purred in Brad's ear the young boy screaming in fear and scrambling away as Fangtom circled the wreck looking over it before his heads leaned down and bit one head going for the tire, the other for one of the remaining rubber tubes that had survived how ever long it had been left abandoned there. a sickly green glow originated from where the Fangpyre bite Fangtom slivering back as his transforming venom spread threw the vehicle the metal buckling and twisting changing into something completely new.

"Wow..." Gene stared at the Bite Cycle Fangtom smirking tapping the head with a claw the strange creation's glowing red eye blinking and tail curling in response. "That's how you grow your army..." The snakes's heads snapped up the sound of a horn and bright lights.

"The owners are back!" Brad gulped "Hide they can't see you!" Fangtom scoffed.

"And why not?"

"The police or Ninja could find out about you!" The snake hissed angrily but relented.

"Hide!" The ruby red snakes obeyed slivering into the shadows their deceptively bright colors blending in as the odd looking car pulled up a elderly looking couple the pair chatting to each other having not spotting anything amiss apparently the woman going to the alarm and fiddling with it lightly chastising the man for not switching it on trying to fix it. Fangtom smirked seeing the male coming towards them delibretly slivering out of place the man crying out in show and fear.

"S-S-SNAKE!" Fangtom hissed with laughter his men emerging grabbing his wife "I-I'm warning you my son's a ninja!" Fangtom scoffed.

"Ssssso? He'ssss not here to save you." His fangs glinted darkly Brad paling as the couple screamed ducking his head unable to watch, he felt green seeing Gene watching with a sick fasination on his face.

...Your going to get us and a lot of other people hurt or killed and you don't even care do you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhrg....What was that promise about updating more often and a fully new chapter before the end of the year *winces* sorry, been hard to work on things, brain just doesn't want to work...


End file.
